Album Review; Sabaton - Heroes

Track Listing:

1. Night Witches
2. No Bullets Fly
3. Smoking Snakes
4. Inmate 4859
5. To Hell And Back
6. The Ballad Of Bull
7. Resist And Bite
8. Soldier Of 3 Armies
9. Far From The Fame
10. Hearts Of Iron


Sabaton's brand of Power Metal stands very high in todays Metal scene. This Swedish band has built a massive following since their formation in 1999; their music has connected with many people in many countries, a fact that is aided by the use of war history as a subject matter for the vast majority of their songs, mainly drawing from World War I and II. This, combined with their energetic and fun live shows and dedication to their ever-growing fan base is elevating them through the upper echelon's of Heavy Metal. This year sees the release of 'Heroes', their seventh full-length studio album. There have been a lot of line-up changes since 2012's stunning 'Carolus Rex' album, so some people may be apprehensive before going into this album. They needn't fear at all.

Album opener 'Night Witches' combines the tale of the Soviet 588th Night Bomber Regiment with dynamic, bombastic Power Metal to astonishing effect reminiscent of the band's classic song 'Ghost Division'. It's a A-grade Sabaton song, an S-grade album opener with a chorus that goes beyond such bizarre rating systems. It's very easy to imagine this song standing strong in their live set, which is always important for this band's material. Great guitar leads and strong riffs weave together Joakim Broden's inimitable vocal style with punctuating and powerful percussion from new drummer Hannes Van Dahl.

'No Bullets Fly' proves equally as sing-along, as energetic as one would expect from this band, another guitar solo acts as a stand-out point in this song. It's worth noting at this point that the over-the-top orchestral sound of 'Carolus Rex' is not present; there is still orchestration, just not as much. This is not particularly a low point, but it is a difference between the two albums that is worth noting. So, those looking for something in the same vein as 'Carolus Rex' will not find it here.

'Smoking Snakes' packs plenty more vocal hooks and is a great display of the epic edge that Sabaton pull off so well, with a chorus backing up the frontman's formidable singing to great effect. So far, it's largely Sabaton as we've known and loved them, but a curveball comes in the melancholy and heavy song 'Inmate 4859', a song about Witold Pilecki; the Polish soldier who deliberately became a prisoner in Auschwitz-Birkenau Camp during World War II, who then went on to lead the resistance against the Third Reich from within Auschwitz and wrote the first reports about the terrible atrocities happening there. The song is a stirring piece; epic in feel with a certain sadness within the composition that captures the tragedy of the events that the song recounts. It's a bit different from songs that Sabaton have written before and at the same time, still showcases everything we love about the band.

Following that is the pumped and powerful first single from the album; 'To Hell And Back' which tells of Audie Leon Murphy, one of the most decorated American combat soldiers of WWII. It's a triumphant and upbeat salute to a one man's deeds. A dead-cert for Sabaton's live shows from here on out. The catchy headbanger is followed by another curveball in the form of 'The Ballad Of Bull'. It's a piano led power ballad that sees most of the Metal elements of Sabaton giving way to poignant strings and a backing choir, with very little guitar being heard at all. The song works a lot better than you'd think, and it shows off Joakim Broden's great singing voice and his ability to deliver lyrics with great emotion. A stunning stand-out track on the album.

The second single from 'Heroes' is 'Resist And Bite'. The guitar lick that plays through the verses may seem somewhat influenced by AC/DC's 'Thunderstrike' but it's a catchy-as-hell song that is somewhat minimalistic until the choruses come in, which will no doubt make many people want to jump in time with the beat as they sing along. In spite of the line-up changes, Sabaton have not changed musically and the quality of the material they release stays high. Fans will be more than pleased with songs like this. 'Soldier Of 3 Armies' continues in this fashion. If it ain't broke, don't fix it, after all!

'Far From The Fame' is one of my favourite songs on this record, and even one of my favourites that Sabaton have yet recorded. It might be the melody, the pace, the riffs, or even the drumming. More likely though is the fact that it's Sabaton at their very best! Oh, that chorus! I challenge anyone not to be at least humming it for days! A homage to Czechoslovakian hero Karel Janousek, a remarkable soldier and war pilot who proves that some of the most admirable men in war times are not the politicians and generals that the history books speak of every day. A great song with a memorable subject; just what makes Sabaton so special.

'Hearts Of Iron' is an epic closer, about the end of World War II, from the point of view of the German 9th and 12th armies who chose surrender to the West rather than certain death at the hands of Soviet forces on the Eastern Front. They helped fleeing soldiers and refugees escape with them over the river Elbe. It's fitting that this song, which also emanates a slight feeling of the kind of relief that one would feel at the end of a conflict like WWII was. So there is a feeling of sadness and futility coupled with triumph and celebration. Such feelings make for a suitable album closer. This stands as my favourite song on 'Heroes', and one which I would love to hear live!

Any reservations held by those who were worried that Sabaton would be a pale shadow of the band we know in the wake of all the line-up changes will be blown apart by this album, which is nothing less than bloody brilliant. Power Metal again gives 2014 a brilliant album, this time from Sweden's most promising band. Sabaton have already achieved big things that many other bands could only dream of, but if they keep making albums as sharp, enjoyable and memorable as this one, then they're trajectory will remain ever upwards. A stalwart effort from a deservedly celebrated and cherished band.


Rating: 10/10

Album Review; Gamma Ray - Empire Of The Undead

Track Listing:

1. Avalon
2. Hellblazer
3. Pale Rider
4. Born To Fly
5. Master Of Confusion
6. Empire Of The Undead
7. Time For Deliverance
8. Demonseed
9. Seven
10. I Will Return


Gamma Ray have long sat high as one of the more revered of the European Power Metal bands. To my mind, this is probably a combination of the musical nature of the band, which is trademark Power Metal, with no real surprises and a lot of memorable songs, and the fact that the band's frontman and one of two guitarists is former Helloween singer Kai Hansen. Whatever the big reason is, this is their eleventh album, which follows four years after 'To The Metal!'. It's been a long enough wait, but the rewards for our patience are apparent rather quickly.

There have been many albums over recent years that have had some eight to twelve minute song at the end, designed to be an epic, that have been little more than drawn-out bores that are never over quickly enough. Well, Gamma Ray have switched that trend around - the album's opener 'Avalon' is a nine minute monster, and is truly epic! Kai Hansen's vocals cut through music that moves between subtlety, bombast, heaviness, speed and choral majesty. With a narrative that turns the Arthurian legend of Avalon and the Holy Grail from a tale of hope and righteous triumph into one of uncertainty and foolishness found in blind faith. It's one of the finest songs that has all the dynamics of a whole album, and sets the bar high for the rest of the album. The band play tight and with memorable execution, especially in the chorus riff and the guitar solos. There's a Thrash feel to be found in the faster sections around the six minute mark of this song that make for a happy headbanger.

After the knockout punch that the opening track delivers, 'Hellbent' feels rather odd. On the one hand it's a decent Judas Priest honouring sing-along song with some good riffs, but on the other hand, the chorus reminds you a little too much of 'Hellbent For Leather' by the aforementioned band. This doesn't change the fact that we will all likely sing along with it at any Gamma Ray gig we go to.

By the time 'Pale Rider' comes on, any epic feel that 'Avalon' brought with it is well and truly gone. What we get here is rather old school Heavy Metal, as opposed to the kind of grandeur we'd want from such a big name in the Power Metal ranks. Good guitar solos aside, this continues to feel overly like Judas Priest worship. A questionable, and arguably flat melody at the chorus makes this listener cringe.

The Priest problem continues into 'Born To Fly'. By this point, it's quite grating. The cheesy lyrical content here doesn't help either. The opening riff sounds just a bit too similar to Motley Crue's 'Dr. Feelgood', of all things. 'Master Of Confusion' sounds like the album is getting back on track, there's a bigger sound to it, although the start of each verse sees the guitars fall out of the song while Kai Hansen sing alone, with some very questionable lyrics, yet again.

The title track comes in with a Thrash Metal riff and drum beat, so the excitement steps back up in that respect. However good the track is as a stand-alone song, it's very out of place on the album. The simplicity of it reminds me slightly of Venom, not necessarily in a bad way, but ultimately Thrash Metal is done far better by actual Thrash bands. Nice try though!

'Time Of Deliverance' - The mandatory Power Metal ballad. The cheese on show is unbelievable, and personally I can't decide if I find Kai Hansen's heartfelt delivery admirable or ridiculous. It swithers back and forth between the two. Irritatingly, just when you feel the song is about to get more majestic with some sort of soaring guitar solo, the music falls away in an instant, leaving a rather minimalist guitar solo to play. Certainly has me scratching my head.

'Demonseed' opens with a horror film sample before striking with a big stomping riff that Rob Zombie would be proud of. It's not long before the Power Metal comes back though, the shifting dynamic between the faster and slower riff helps the song stand as one of the catchier songs on the album so far. It's also not as boring as many of the songs prior to it have been. 'Seven' sees the Power Metal come back pure and strong, and there's no Judas Priest whiff to it. It does sound rather like an Iron Maiden song that never was, though. Everything from the song structure to the vocal melody and accentuations of certain notes used, especially in the chorus, are so reminiscent you could be forgiven for thinking that Bruce Dickinson was Kai Hansen's vocal coach for the song. Not a bad song, but possibly good for all the wrong reasons.

'I Will Return' (opens with a sample of Schwarzenegger saying "I'll Be Back!) brings back a sense of identity that was lost somewhere in the album's second song. This has been the biggest problem I've had with this album; with the exception of that first song, it's felt like Gamma Ray have tried to do everything on this album; as if they can't decide if they want to do Power Metal, Symphonic Metal, Trad Metal or Hard Rock. It's made for an album that flows very clumsily, if at all. I had a lot higher expectations about this album when I got it, and there was a quality promised both by the band's reputation and by the track 'Avalon' (which will be one of the best songs of the year!) but it is a promise that is just not upheld. I cannot imagine I'll have this album playing too much at all, and it'll likely be all but forgotten before too long.


Rating: 4/10

Album Review; Triptykon - Melana Chasmata

Track Listing:

1. Tree Of Suffocating Souls
2. Boleskine House
3. Altar Of Deceit
4. Breathing
5. Aurorae
6. Demon Pact
7. In The Sleep Of Death
8. Black Snow
9. Waiting


If you know anything about Extreme Metal in any of it's many forms, then Thomas Gabriel Fischer (AKA Tom G. Warrior) should need no introduction whatsoever. For those who are not aware; Fischer is the Swiss genius behind the legendarily experimental First Wave Of Black Metal band Celtic Frost, which itself rose from the ashes of the notorious Venom-worshipping Hellhammer. Celtic Frost, I'm sad to say are no longer active after the group imploded in 2008, but Tom Fischer is still going strong with his trademark misanthropic soundscapes taking form in the music of Triptykon. 2010's 'Eparistera Daimonas' was a brilliant album, befitting the legacy of Celtic Frost. It's been a hell of a long wait, but now we have Triptykon's second full-length album 'Melana Chasmata'.

From the beginning, there's a claustrophobic feel to this album, with enough of an avant-garde edge in opening song 'Tree Of Suffocating Sorrow' to keep any fans of Celtic Frost happy. Fischer's distinctive vocals cut through what is very catchy music with an almost Thrash Metal feel to it. The chorus may be one of the catchier in Fischer's career. The whole song is propelled by Norman Lonhard's drumming. There's a tinge of beauty brought to the song in the form of an acoustic string instrument that makes for an interesting segue into an electric guitar solo.

'Boleskine House' takes things into slower territory, with a downright filthy bass tone and a great drum beat. It turns out female vocals work with Fischer's clean vocal style brilliantly. This composition, named after Aleister Crowley's estate in Scotland, is both chilling and tantalising at the same time. There's something almost peaceful interspersed between moments of heaviness in this song that stands as a strong contrast against the usual chaos to be heard both in Triptykon and Celtic Frost before it.

'Altar Of Deceit' continues the journey with a Doom Metal sound. It's worth noting that Thomas Fischer's voice has lost none of it's venom over the years. Every syllable seems to ooze with conviction, but then you would expect as much from one of Extreme Metal's most extreme people. The riff that dominates this song is a great example of simple but effective. There's a well placed burst of a guitar solo that saves the droning from becoming even nearly tiresome. 'Breathing' takes things back up to higher speeds. The moments of reverb-laced clean vocalisation are sublime stop-gaps between what is otherwise a brilliant, straight-edge Metal songs. Towards the end it veers off in a Slayer-esque style of whammy bar abusing Thrash Metal, but it soon slows down to a crawl in good fashion.

Some might believe that the album, up to this point, has not displayed enough of the experimental edge that Tom G. Warrior's work is so famed for. I could see where they're coming from, but I think to make that accusation would mean you were missing something. To my ear, the experimenting going on within 'Melana Chasmata' is to be found within the way songs are structured and the flow of emotional charge. It's the expert use of dynamics here within the composition itself that grants this album it's biggest strength, hand-in-hand with the flow of the album as a whole. To me, this is of more worth than simply adding random instruments that are considered unconventional within Metal.

One need only listen to 'Aurorae' to understand what I mean. This is a fantastic, beautiful and soulful piece of music. Emotionally it sits somewhere between being misanthropically jaded and being deeply sorrowful. It's absolutely captivating, and as a piece of honest, moving music, I can't think of anything I've heard in recent times that is quite so powerful. 'Demon Pact' is one unsettling song, which sees the return of the avant-garde; there's a wailing, high pitched noise heard throughout the heavier moments, while Tom's vocal style during the verses is almost throat singing. The percussion is great, I'm always a fan of tribal sounding percussion. There's a gothic weird-and-wonderful vibe to this song that many will, and should love.

'In The Sleep Of Death' continues in a downright disturbing vein. That's really the only phrase I can think to use in regards to this song. It's a steady, doom-laden song that sounds like a bereaved man falling into despair and the beginnings of insanity. Deeply unsettling stuff, very effective, and all anchored down by great, haunting music.

'Black Snow' is the longest track on the album, clocking in at 12:25, and it starts as a cast-iron heavy, droning, hypnotic piece of work. It starts off damn slow yet manages to slow down to a snails-pace half way through. Metaphorically, the general theme of the song writing on this album has seemed to be that of a suffocating smoke, and this song shows this more than any on the rest of the album. Vanja Slajh's bass and Lonhard's drumming remain consistently great focal points that anchor the music well.

The beautiful female vocals are again present in the closing song 'Waiting' which offers up a moment of serene peace at the end of what has been both a tasking and rewarding album to listen to. This song serves well to bring the album to a curious close. There's a bold melancholy feeling to the bluesy guitar lead that takes up a good portion of the track.

Lyrically, Thomas Gabriel Fischer has often used death as a theme, but on 'Wiating' there's an almost chilling acceptance, even a welcoming of it. It makes for one hell of a powerful close to what is a moving and utterly captivating album. In summery; those who wanted a great album to follow on from 'Eparistera Daimonas' will de far from disappointed. Those who wanted Triptykon to release an album that lives up to the legacy of Celtic Frost will be equally satisfied. Indeed; this is not an album that can only be appreciated by Metalheads. Music fans, fans of art in any form, could surely see this album as an exceptionally executed representation of a true artist's vision. That's a thing that is very rare these days. I heard Tom G. Warrior in an interview saying that he wanted to take music that was heavy and combine it "with something that approaches art".

'Melana Chasmata' does not approach art. It surpasses it. My hat is forever off to Triptykon and Thomas Gabriel Fischer.


Rating: 10/10

Album Review; Nervosa - Victim Of Yourself

Track Listing:

1. Intro
2. Twisted Values
3. Justice Be Done
4. Wake Up And Fight
5. Nasty Injury
6. Envious
7. Morbid Courage
8. Death!
9. Into Moshpit
10. Deep Misery
11. Victim Of Yourself
12. Urânio Em Nós


Brazil's female Thrash Metal trio Nervosa have garnered a fair amount of attention since the band's birth in 2010, but this year sees the band releasing their first full-length album. The band have cited that their musical influences come from the old school Thrash Metal days, with Sepultura, Slayer and Exodus being mentioned in particular. As many may know, Thrash is a particular favourite of mine, so I've been waiting to get to grips with this album since it was announced.

A three minute long intro track shows that Nervosa have a taste for the darker side of Thrash, bringing to mind the likes of Dark Angel and Sodom. When 'Twisted Values' kicks in proper, there's a catchiness to the riffs that straddle atop a rather plain Thrash Metal drum beat. Vocally, the inspiration seems to have come from the likes of early Kreator and, again, Sodom. One riff in particular, which sees the music stop dead for a moment, is both effective and slightly reminiscent of early Sepultura. 'Justice Be Done' is a headbanger's practice tune; the riffs make you want to bang your head as Thrash Metal should. There's more pace shown in the drumming on this song as well as a more guttural vocal style in places, used as a backing vocal. The guitar solo half way through the song is a great one that hammers home the point that the band has real skill. Those of you hoping for an all-girl band that exists for the sake of eye candy or novelty, turn away now.

'Wake Up And Fight' sees the band use groove, anchored down by a satisfying bass line. It's already clear at this early point of the album that the band has its sound refined and set in stone. There's no progressive tinges to be had here, although the chorus riff sounds like something from a Strapping Young Lad song, which enhances the song to no end. 'Nasty Injury' is a decent mid-paced song, with a few interesting little tinges and nuances on the drums at the start of the song. Meanwhile 'Envious' is one of the harder, and more complete sounding songs on the album, a real highlight that should make it onto any Thrash fan's playlist.

Some may think it goes without saying that there's no experimentalism or leap forward for the genre to be found on this record, but while the sub-genre labels may be more or less defined in terms of the core characteristics of the sounds therein, the lines between the individual sub-genres are also becoming blurred, and in some cases are overlapping. With this in mind, it would've been nice to have heard something on 'Victim Of Yourself' that showed a touch of adventurousness. Thrash Metal is all well and good, so many won't complain.

'Into The Moshpit' was clearly written for the purpose of starting a few pits at the group's gigs. Another solid guitar solo sings out well from the gritty old-school Thrash. At this point it's worth pointing out that one of my favourite things about the way that this album is mixed is the bass guitar. The tone itself has a sharpness to it that you don't hear that often anymore, with a lot of bassists' tones sounding too silky-smooth and getting lost in the distortion of the guitars. Here, the bass stands out well, giving the attack of the music an extra edge.

'Deep Misery' is the shortest song on the album, and shows the band's ability to write a concise song that doesn't outstay it's welcome. The title track has a decent bass solo section at the start, leading in to one of the sharper riffs on the album. The speed of the song is typically fast, and only gets faster at the choruses, with the drum beat blasting ahead of the rest of the music. Unfortunately, unlike the song that precedes it, this song does eventually drag on. It could have done either with an extra dynamic element, or it could have just been cut in half.

The last track sees the band hit out with one more barrage of fast-and-furious Thrash, but apart from being particularly Thrashy it's nothing too spectacular. This is probably the single biggest issue with this album. As a record, it's solid enough to pass, but it feels too much like a homage to the glory days of Thrash Metal. At this point in time, that feels unnecessary since a lot of the classic bands of the genre are still going strong, or in some cases, stronger than they ever have! So, how much call is there for an album like this?

At the end of the day, a debut album usually shows a band just cutting their teeth, getting ready for whatever future they map out for themselves, but my concern is whether or not Nervosa have boxed themselves into a corner. At this point in time, there's actually a fair share of innovations happening within the world of Metal music, and as such, my standards for music being released is getting higher. 'Victim Of Yourself' may tick many of the right boxes for any Thrash fan, but what it's missing is that feeling of excitement. It's worth a listen or two, but it's nowhere near essential listening. Hopefully the band's second album will be a sharper affair than this.


Rating: 5.5/10

Album Review; Devil You Know - The Beauty Of Destruction

Track Listing:

1. A New Beginning
2. My Own
3. Embracing The Torture
4. For The Dead And Broken
5. Seven Years Alone
6. It's Over
7. A Mind Insane
8. Crawl From The Dark
9. The Killer
10. I Am The Nothing
11. Shut It Down
12. As Bright As The Darkness


So, after Killswitch Engage staged a return to former glories in the form of last year's album 'Disarm The Descent' which saw the band reunited with original singer Jesse Leach, we finally hear from former singer Howard Jones again. Many of us, myself included, have been wondering what his return to the Metal scene would be like since he announced the formation and details of Devil You Know. My worry has been that it would turn out to be just another Killswitch clone. With 'The Beauty Of Destruction' finally upon us, it's time to see.

The album starts off in powerful and impressive form. 'A New Beginning' is Modern Metal at its most in-your-face and catchy. It's a great start to an album that sees Howard Jones' vocal abilities in rude health. I'm one of those who greatly preferred Jones' voice to Jesse Leach's as far as KSE goes, so it's great to hear him coming out with his brilliant screams and his accomplished clean vocals with more power and conviction than we had heard since 'The End Of Heartache'. The almost doom-laden riff helps in delivering a statement of intent before the album carries on.

'My Own' has the kind of rhythmic quality and chorus that is reminiscent of Killswitch, but manages to avoid sounding too similar. There was always going to be shades of Howard Jones' former band present in Devil You Know, especially on their first album, but there's enough personality on show to save this song from sounding like a Killswitch song that never made it to press. Jones' clean singing shines through in the hooks of the chorus.

It should also be unsurprising that the band have an Industrial sound to their albums, since the drummer is Devolved's John Sankey, who was also responsible for programming the drums on Fear Factory's 'The Industrialist' album. He also drummed with FF guitarist Dino Cazares in the side-project Divine Heresy. The guitars also have an Industrial sound on the lower registers, which gives the music an extra sense of weight that the frontman's former band sometimes lack in. These elements are particularly prominent on 'Embracing The Torture' which shows moments of crushing heaviness that even manage to carry through to the sing-along Metalcore chorus. If Devil You Know get lumped in the Metalcore category, let them sit with bands like The Defiled.

'For The Dead And Broken' shows a more melancholy side to the band's sound, but it's still fairly potent. Sound effects thrown in here and there, as well as some effects put onto the vocals, keep the Industrial edge ever-present. There's the first bona-fide breakdown in this song, too. I'm personally glad that it took so long for a breakdown to be used. 'Seven Years Alone' could just as easily be a Fear Factory song, as far as the verses are concerned, and the chorus is strong as well. Jones' vocals never seem lazy, and indeed there seems to be a fire burning in the man that was absent in the time leading up to his ejection from Killswitch. A great guitar solo soars over the percussive onslaught, further solidifying this as an album highlight.

'It's Over' begins with a somewhat predictable clean guitar introduction, paving the road for a more transparent and heartfelt performance from the frontman. The chorus will stick in the head and you'd be easily forgiven for singing along. As ballads go, this is one of the better ones I've heard, though there is an element of cheese in the backing vocals that can be heard in the chorus. Lyrically, you don't get much more basic, but at least the song offers a breathing space and shows another dimension to Devil You Know, albeit an expected one considering who their frontman is.

'A Mind Insane' brings back the relentless percussion and the frontman's more venomous vocal abilities. This is, yet again, catchy stuff that stands head and shoulders above any Killswitch Engage music in terms of style and individuality. I'm glad that the band haven't fallen into the easy trap that is the Metalcore scene. Indeed, this music is much more than just Melodic Metalcore, I'm happy to inform you. 'Crawl From The Dark' is a creepier song with an almost Sabbath like quality to the vocal melody. Sounds mad, I realise, but there's a definite Doom element to the slowly stomping feel of this song. It fits the band brilliantly and it's also great to hear Howard Jones doing something other than the constant mid-tempos that he was given in his previous band! The vocal harmonies fall on the ear really well here.

'The Killer' keeps things going smoothly, though it is one of the more pedestrian songs on the album. There's almost a Nu-Metal feel to this song, hidden somewhere in the groove and the simplicity of the lyrics used. I can already tell that some people may cast this song off, though the guitar solo might just change their minds. Definite marmite track.

'I Am The Nothing' focuses on Jones' clean vocals, though there's a good amount of lead guitar lines woven in throughout the song. Again, the more melancholy side shows itself. The chorus comes close to being moaning in tone, though the kind of melody on show here has not really been utilised a lot recently, so it's a good change in a way. Industrial tinges remain rife. Towards the end of the song, the whole song seems to come together a bit more for one last chorus and a classy use of a strings section to close the track.

'Shut It Down' takes things back to the feeling of the first song. It's full-speed ahead, with some spoken word sections and a few familiar melodies from the frontman. The percussion remains an ever present drive that, along with the weighty guitar work, keeps this album heavy enough to satisfy the ear that looks for the heavier side of Mainstream Metal music.

Closing song 'As Bright As The Darkness' starts off rather odd, having a dark, almost gothic feel to it. There's a bit of experimentation with some noise effects here and there, but the use of effects on the vocals is rather inexplicable, and as a result, this song sits rather awkwardly next to the rest of the songs on this album. It could easily be a case of debut-album experimenting on the part of the band, but this song, especially as an album closer, is just confusing.

Apart from a couple of miss-steps in the song writing (Seriously, that last song...) this is a pleasantly surprising album! Devil You Know are definitely a band with a lot of potential as a working unit. There's maybe a little bit of refinement needed to the band's sound, but hopefully that can happen in time for the next album. I can safely say I reckon I'm going to end up listening to this a fair bit more, and for longer than I listened to last year's Killswitch album! So, fans of Howard Jones; rejoice! The man has come back swinging. It'll be interesting to see where this goes. For now, pick up this record, it'll be worth your time.


Rating: 7.5/10

Album Review; Sinbreed - Shadows

Track Listing:

1. Bleed
2. Shadows
3. Call To Arms
4. Reborn
5. Leaving The Road
6. Far Too Long
7. Black Death
8. Standing Tall
9. London Moon
10. Broken Wings

The German Power/Speed Metal band Sinbreed's second album 'Shadows' is another in what seems to be a constant stream of Power Metal that has hit us in this, the first half of 2014. As such, there's a chance that it could get lost in the hordes, so to speak, although it is an album I've seen a lot of promotion for.

Opening track 'Bleed' has all the power, speed and catchy melody that one could hope for in a modern Power Metal album. The empowering, fist clenching lyrics are there. The song 'Shadows' comes in with a similar vibe, and is equally as good a song. There are great riffs to be heard, and a lot of good, precise drumming from former Blind Guardian drummer Frederik Ehmke. Herbie Langhans' singing voice reminds me slightly of Biff Byford, in a good way, and with an extra helping of force.

'Call To Arms' has a bridge section that proves Sinbreed can slow down and throw out a chunkier riff when they want to, but the Speed Metal side continues to prevail. The choruses so far have been expectedly sing-along, and 'Reborn' continues in the same fashion. There's an interesting use of melody and a lot of powerful, sustained vocal lines that will keep many a Melodic Metal fan happy. 'Leaving The Road' and 'Far Too Long' carries the album on in similar fashion, and while the song 'Black Death' has a darker feeling to it, getting through the album starts to feel like a bit of a drag. It would've been good to have a slower song, or even an acoustic track in there to help with the flow. Apart from the decent guitar solos and consistently reliable vocals, the album starts to trail off by this point.

From then on, nothing really picks the pace back up, which is really frustrating, since the album started off so well. By the time 'Broken Wings' comes in with a rather lovely acoustic intro which sets up a really good song, it's just too little too late. The album as a whole is not by any means bad, but what I would say is that it offers little to no variety. Some people may love that, others may hate it. For me; this album is one of those that strikes a good chord in its first half, but fails to follow through. Worth a spin or two, but it'll likely skip the mind in the future.


Rating: 5/10

Album Review; Whitechapel - Our Endless War

Track Listing:

1. Rise
2. Our Endless War
3. The Saw Is The Law
4. Mono
5. Let Me Burn
6. Worship The Digital Age
7. How Times Have Changed
8. Psychopathy
9. Blacked Out
10. Diggs Road

Whitechapel proved themselves to be more than just another American Deathcore band with their 2012 self-titled release. The album combined their trademark heaviness (and it is heavy!) with a moments of eerie tension and showed that they knew just how to craft great songs and build an album that flows with ease despite the brutality of the music. Phil Bozeman's vocals were also at an all-time high. I had admired their previous albums 'This Is Exile' and 'A New Era Of Corruption', but it was the self-titled album that really grabbed my attention. The question now is; How will 'Our Endless War' compare?

In the form of 'Rise' the album begins with a standard-issue tension building intro track. Marching drums, strings and clean guitars set a relatively tense tone before the title track sees the main event begin. A fast track with a truck-load of vocal hooks and an infectious lead guitar line heard in the chorus. The breakdown featured in this is coated with Phil Bozeman's great vocal talents, but the riff and feel of it is rather too familiar to the breakdowns that Whitechapel have used before. Fortunately, more lead passages make up for this to a point. 'The Saw Is The Law' comes in with fairly standard Deathcore fare. The song shifts between slower and faster speeds, giving a lot of dynamics that are heightened by exceedingly fast moments of vocal delivery that are impressive and slightly reminiscent of Corey Taylor's rapid-fire lyricisms of the first Slipknot album. Great track, matching up to anything on the previous album with ease.

'Mono' starts off with a surprisingly high pace, showing that Whitechapel could just as easily be a traditional Death Metal band. It's not long before things slow down for an anthemic chorus. Lyrically, this one smatters of insincere, angst-ridden misanthropy, and risks being cringe-worthy if you're not in the mood for it. 'Let Me Burn' is driven by a slow, pounding beat on the drum kit, and is another brutal ode to insanity, the likes of which we have come to expect from Whitechapel. Towards the end we see the frontman push his already impressive vocal talents to a new limit that would blow out the throat of many other vocalists. It's an album highlight, and will certainly be a favourite among the band's fanbase.

'Worship The Digital Age' sees the slow, chugging side to Whitechapel rule with prominence. The song slows down to a sluggish crawl before drummer Ben Harclerode gives the song a massive burst of speed to contrast with the still-lumbering riffs. 'How Times Have Changed' has the groove element present in any of Whitechapel's better songs, but fails to hit the heights that some the band's previous songs had managed. 'Psychopathy' takes a shot at creating more moody tension before the song arrives in earnest, and it succeeds. Again, the groove is present, as are the Whitechapel-style riffs that work with this band overall. 'Blacked Out' has more of the fast delivery of lyrics, and also has a few blast beats in it. The speed of the drums on this track stands out well, again offering a peek at the more traditional Death Metal influences upon Whitechapel. This isn't another style-over-substance Deathcore band, so don't feel any need to worry if you have an inherent hatred of anything 'Core'.

'Diggs Road' is the last song on the basic version of the album, and begins with a swirling instrumental break before the brutality comes in again with a heavy-as-hell riff that contains a satisfying degree of melody. If there ends up being a sub-genre called 'Melodic Deathcore' then this song could end up being referred to as a starting point; there are guitar solos good enough to please any fans of conventional Metal styles, and there's another anthemic feel to the whole song, both as a finisher of an album and as a stand-alone song. Indeed, this song provides something that was absent from a great portion of the music on the rest of the album - the proverbial punch in the face.

This is the only issue that I have with 'Our Endless War'; it has it's fair share of moments, but apart from 'Let Me Burn' and 'Diggs Road' there are songs that can feel somewhat by-the-numbers. I wouldn't go as far as to say that this album is poor or inferior (I've heard many things that are worse this year) but it feels like something of a let down after the absolutely superb self-titled album. That notwithstanding; 'Our Endless War' is a solid enough album that's worth a spin in it's own right.


Rating: 6.5/10