alternative-zine.com

Reviews

Taunted: Zero
Taunted - Zero - [Vision Metal Records]

2006-07-11

I'm a complete sucker for quality thrash/speed metal. That was my favorite musical style while growing up in the 80's, evidently, during the mass of thrash that engulfed the metal scene at the time it seems that a few very good bands quietly slipped through the cracks and remained unheard of, Taunted is a fine example.

Formed in 92', the band has been honing its craft with a first complete album coming out just now, and man-o-man, the time spent sure didn’t go to waste.

Best described as technical speed/thrash, Zero is an album that would have fitted comfortably in between such classics of the genre as Metal Church's “The Dark” and Exodus's “Fabulous Disaster”, it's well played, well sang, very well produced by Vile vocalist Juan Urteaga. The album is a concept piece about a house haunted by an evil presence, entitled "Entity Zero" and it conveys the storyline through the use of complete songs intertwined with shorter tracks and an instrumental track.

From the opening riffs to "Later Day", the band's complete mastery of their craft is evident, razor-sharp speed metal riffing with a tight rhythm section, vocalist Jacques Serrano has a high pitched melodic voice with plenty of bite, the one problem I had with the vocals is the way the lyrics are written, there are no clear verses or choruses, making the album a bit too complex as times, without easily accessible choruses.

“Still Believe” is one of the best speed/thrash tracks I've heard since the early 90's, it reminded me a lot of the title track from Metal Church's “The Dark”, same kinda vibe, same strong melody lines and excellent lead work.

I really hope these guys don’t take another ten years to make a second album, because if it's as good as this one, It'll be a killer.

Alon Miasnikov



Share |
 
blog comments powered by Disqus