Metal – Page 96 – Wonderbox Metal

Memories Of A Dead Man – Ashes Of Joy (Review)

Memories Of A Dead Man are from France and play Modern Progressive Metal.

Here we have a band that merges Metal, Post-Metal, Hardcore and Sludge into one big compelling whole.

This is ambitious music that has the talent to back it up. This is Modern Progressive Metal in the style of Gojira or the excellent Eryn Non Dae – both also French; I wonder if there’s some strange conspiracy to inflict interesting, thoughtful music on the world…? Where do I sign up?

The songs meander and bruise, wander and startle. A pounding rhythm section backs up emotive guitar riffs and a voice like leather. At least that’s when the singer’s not softly crooning at you that is, which he doesn’t do very regularly but when he does it sounds very intimate.

The band will take you on a journey through melancholic atmospheres surrounded by walls of guitars and heavy riffs. The length of the songs work in favour of the band as they make the most of the freedom allowed them, irrespective of genre constraints or rules.

Music like this is full of ideas and quirks, whether it’s as simple as a certain riff in one song or the addition of female operatic vocals in another; the band create an impressive soundscape in which to dwell, and invite you to come join them and sample their world.

Memories Of A Dead Man have crafted a modern Metal treasure with Ashes of Joy. Let’s hope many people get to find it.

This is music for adventurers and explorers.

Sovereign Council – New Reign (Review)

Canadian band Sovereign Council play Power/Symphonic Metal.

Well, it’s happened again. Another band from Canada who fooled me into thinking they would be another Nightwish et al rip off, (due to lazy assumptions on my part from descriptions of the band), whereas in reality there’s a lot more going on here. They’re not female fronted for a start.

Along with the recent album from Merkabah, they must be doing something very right in Canada, as even though the two bands don’t sound massively alike they both come from the Power/Symphonic mould and the Canadian scene at the moment seems a hotbed of talent.

The band play their music competently and have the right idea with the music. The symphonics and keyboards are relatively subdued for this genre; you can definitely hear them of course but they’re not over the top. The band also have a bit of an electronica influence here and there which adds a nice touch.

The main male vocals are restrained and confident; no show boating here just quality emotive singing. The female backing vocals add a layer of texture and colour to the songs, and are not anywhere near as ubiquitous as the descriptions would have you believe. Mix this with a few harsher screams and growls and it all comes together as a package quite nicely.

Sovereign Council are also savvy enough to know that ultimately this is all about the Metal and don’t bury the guitars under the admittedly talented vocals. Instead the two walk side by side, with the guitars being just as prominent as the vocals, as they should be.

Check this band out and give them your support.

Scars Divide – Scars Divide (Review)

Scars Divide are from Switzerland and play Melodic Metal/Metalcore with Progressive tendencies.

The riffs are melodic and meaty and don’t get reined in for safety purposes when they get a bit randy; rather they’re unleashed like the proverbial dogs of war and let loose to do what they may.

This is a key difference between Scars Divide and some of their more commercial cousins; Scars Divide are less concerned with opening in front of a big stadium, (although I’m sure they’re like to given half the chance), and more interested in creating modern Metal songs that entice, challenge and bludgeon.

It’s clear the band have an intimate relationship with their instruments and know exactly what they’re capable of. This is state-of-the-art Modern Metal that’s a refreshing change from all of the Djent/Lamb of God/At the Gates clones that seem to have been around forever.

The songs are inventive, interesting and above all Metal. Heavy guitars and a pummelling rhythm section keep things flowing nicely as the band get to work doing what they do best.

The vocals are impassioned and emotive without resorting to cleans or gimmicks, reminding of the Darkane singer on occasion.

Call me cynical, jaded, or whatever, but I am surprised at how good this is; I was expecting more Metalcore-by-numbers and I’m very pleased to be wrong. This is a premier league release that should hopefully see the band earning plenty of positive reviews.

Get in on the action while they’re still small, and help support a talented Metal band. This gets my vote.

Grey Skies Fallen – The Many Sides of Truth (Review)

Grey Skies Fallen are from the US, and this is their fourth album of Progressive Metal.

The band combine a form of Anathema relaxi-prog and a Melodic Death Metal influence with sharp, rasped vocals and heroic cleans. On paper it looks a bit incongruous but in practice it works surprisingly well.

It’s a tribute to the talent of the band that they can combine the soft introspective nature with the heavier Metal parts of the songs and have it sound cohesive and complete.

Elements of Nevermore and Septic Flesh clash with the aforementioned Anathema influence, add to that a bit of Doom and Melodic Prog…basically they have a lot of fingers in a lot of pies and are talented enough to pull it off.

Subtle keyboards accompany the sometimes epic riffs to create a larger than life atmosphere that also manages to stay compact and manageable as the band flex their musical muscles.

The songs are well composed and have a real feeling of grandeur to them. The music is very operatic in scope and ambition, which means it’s a very satisfying listen.

Grey Skies Fallen have produced an album that demands closer inspection. Check them out and hear what they have to offer. You won’t regret it.

Wicked Inquisition – Silence Thereafter (Review)

Wicked Inquisition are from the US and play Traditional Heavy Metal.

Here we have some good old-fashioned worship of all things 70’s style Doom, with Black Sabbath, Trouble and Saint Vitus all being good reference points.

This is a short EP, with 4 songs in just under 16 minutes, one of which is an interlude-style track.

This kind of music is instantly familiar as soon as you press play; within the first couple of seconds they’ve already established what they’re all about and what you should expect.

The songs are good and the production warm. The singer fits with the vibe of the band and everything gels nicely into place.

They do what they do well and make for a perfectly enjoyable 16 minutes. You know what to expect with this style, and Wicked Inquisition do it as well as any.

Mind – Save Yourself From Hell (Review)

Mind are a Crust/Hardcore/Metal band from Germany and this is their third album.

This is primitive Crust violence, played with passion and honesty.

The songs rattle and bash their way from the speakers while the singer tries to compete with the local attack dogs to see who is the most rabid.

Songs like Lost carry a real feeling of threat but also, paradoxically, of camaraderie. Best to make sure you’re on the right side, eh?

They have an Old-School sound that could probably have done with a little more beef in some of the departments, but having said that it still fits the music well and hones the authentic feeling of Hardcore being played by lifers.

The feeling in general is Old-School, reminding of Hardcore bands from the 90’s such as Merauder and especially fellow German’s Ryker’s, as well as all of the standard Crust reference points. They also cover Napalm Death, which can never be a bad thing.

This is a 25 minute trip to the wrong side of the tracks. Will you survive the journey? With this as your soundtrack you might.

Merkabah – Ubiquity (Review)

Merkabah come from Canada and play Symphonic/Power Metal.

I must confess that upon seeing the words “female fronted” and “symphonic” in the description I immediately feared the worst and was expecting some form of Nightwish rip-off. This deplorable state of affairs is caused by the sheer abundance of such clones, so maybe you can forgive my cynicism. You should already be able to tell, however, that I was wrong, and happily so.

This is not a what I was expecting, as it’s far more of the Power Metal genre than the Symphonic/Gothic Metal one and as such it’s a very fresh, energising and downright exciting release!

I’ve stated previously that Freedom Call are one of my favourite Power Metal bands, and although Merkabah don’t sound especially like them, I get the same feelings of happiness and excitement off both bands.

This is life-affirming Metal, that deserves the capitalisation more than most.

Melodic Power Metal, with keyboard/Symphonic accompaniment and top drawer songwriting; this was never going to be anything other than a winner with me, notwithstanding my initial erroneous assumptions.

The singer has a fantastic voice that wipes the floor with most Power Metal vocalists. Her voice is a perfect combination of beauty and power.

The songs are on the longer side, especially the final title track which clocks in at 12:00. These lengths give the band ample room to explore their chosen musical territory and flex their creative muscles, expanding their horizons into more Progressive waters on occasion. Red Letter Days is a great example of this, although at 5:44 it’s actually one of the shorter tracks.

The songwriting is immaculate and the album blazes bright, burning away any false Metal daring to stand in its hallowed presence. I can’t recommend this enough.

Electric Hellride – Come Darkness, Come Light (Review)

This is the latest EP from Danish Metallers Electric Hellride.

The EP boasts a strong, crisp sound that gives the band the space and presence to make their mark.

Electric Hellride play a combination of older Thrash and Modern Metal; sort of a modern Thrash Metal but without being infected with the American template of Metalcore/breakdowns/At The Gates-isms/etc.

Instead this treads its own path; paying fealty to the Thrash Metal pantheon with some catchy choruses, (no clean vocals), while stamping their own identity on the more modern aspects of their sound.

The vocals are very interesting. Initally seemingly buried under the Thrash onslaught of the first song Master Inferno, it’s on second track Higher Profanity that they come into their own. They’re almost a kind of Stoner/Thrash hybrid, almost as if someone has appropriated the singer of a more contemporary band, (Clutch?/Godhunter?), and forced him to front Kreator. This is merely an extension of the music however, where you have elements of older and newer bands rubbing shoulders, without any form of detriment to either.

This melding of styles into a seamless whole lends a timeless element to the whole thing. I could imagine listening to this if it had come out in the 90s or the 00’s, never mind 2014.

Come Darkness, Come Light is an exceptional EP from a very talented and relatively individualistic band. I suggest listening to this and giving them your wholehearted support.

Sioux – The One and The Many (Review)

Sioux are from the US and play Stoner Metal.

Imagine a band like Mastodon had gone full on Stoner Metal and you’ll have the right idea. Sioux inhabit this special place, where the foundations of Stoner are laced with exquisite vocal melodies and spikes of aggression to create wonderfully enjoyable songs full of pace, dynamics and life.

Each of these tracks sparkles with an inner light that comes from a core of pure molten Metal, distilled though layers of desert Rock.

The vocals are reminiscent of Mastodon in places, as mentioned, but never in a plagiarised way; merely a shared debt to captivating melody and depth of voice.

All of the six songs that make up this 28 minute release are well written and hold attention easily. The band have lots of ideas and the talent to back it up with hooks and powerful arrangements.

Sioux may very well be your new favourite band.

Gamma Ray – Empire of the Undead (Review)

Germany’s Gamma Ray are somewhat of a Power Metal institution. This is the band’s 11th album and I must confess I’ve been looking forward to it.

As soon as I noticed that the first track Avalon was the rather epic length of 9:22 I was excited, and the song is exactly what I was hoping it would be. Epic, stirring and memorable in all of the right ways.

After more than two decades of creating quality Metal, it’s great to see that Gamma Ray are not wanting for ideas or passion. They still have the hunger and devotion to Metal that is not commonly present in bands who have been around for half this amount of time.

So what do we get then? State-of-the-art sound? Yes. Rousing anthems? Yes. Guitar wizardry and fretmanship? Yes. Catchy and memorable hooks and melodies? Yes. Sing-along choruses? Yes. Riffs to pound chests to? Yes. Keyboards that enhance but don’t overpower? Yes.

The band spend time emphasising their Speed Metal aspect on some of the tracks, with Hellbent in particular showing a Judas Priest influence. The next song Pale Rider has an almost AC/DC feel to it, albeit heavier and with a distinctly non-AC/DC chorus. Time for Deliverance is more in the power ballad territory, with even somewhat of a revival feeling to it in places.

These are good demonstrations of the fact that Gamma Ray may have a distinct style but within this they vary things and keep things interesting so that they’re not simply playing what is effectively the same song over and over again.

The best songs are the bookends of the album – Avalon and I Will Return. This doesn’t invalidate anything in the middle of course, as taken holistically this is a thoroughly enjoyable slab of Heavy Metal.

How many other bands are on their 11th album and still capable of shredding with the best of them? Not many.

Gamma Ray still have a lot to offer the world. Empire of the Undead is the latest, and a top listen at that.