2006-04-18
This is this German Band's third album, but the first to be released on a label, and not a self-financed one, and I don’t really see what took these guys this long, since the album is one of the better debut albums I've heard in a while.
Their music can best be described as neo-progressive thrash metal, but quite fast its evident that most people will compare them with
Nevermore, there are quite a lot of reasons for that, the vocals tend to resemble Warrel Dane's some of the time, the guitar riffs are also quite similar, and even some of the drumming style, you just need to listen to the second track – “Trapped”, and you get the drift, it could've fitted in a Nevermore album perfectly.
The opening title track is a more complicated affair, some growled vocals combined with the melodic ones, a much more progressive and technical approach to the music, lots of breaks and twists, this is much more of a prog thrash affair than anything that Nevermore did.
Third track – “Fade Away” – brings in some tuned down guitars and a use of effects that even brings
Korn to mind, in their most thrash-like approach, that is. Another cookie point goes to the lead work by the guitarists, finely crafted, melodic lead work that uplifts the music into an even higher level.
There's also an instrumental track, “In Doom” combines a sort of ethnic vibe with ethereal guitars, and again – great lead guitar work.
All in all, this is a very adult album, expertly made, and though the Nevermore similarities cannot be denied, it stands well enough on its own.
Alon Miasnikov