SLEEPY HOLLOW – Tales of Gods and Monsters review

SLEEPY HOLLOW – Tales of Gods and Monsters

Pure Steel Records

https://myspace.com/theoriginalhollowmetal

SLEEPY HOLLOW is a great band; especially their debut release in 1991 under the same name is an album that I still listen to and it has the same freshness for me as I were listening to it for the first time. They are also a band that don’t rush things and release an album when they feel ready to do so. Ok, this time they released their third album quicker in comparison with the time gap between their debut and sophomore album.

THE COVER: The painting on the cover is really impressive and with lots of details. In my opinion the painting breathes out a biblical feeling which actually fits perfectly to the title of the new album. It depicts a white bearded and haired man surrounded by animals and many other beasts and he seems to read to them from a book. The human figure is a person that brings to my mind the depiction of biblical God as we see it on religious book, but he can also be an ancient Greek philosopher. I think that everyone can give his own interpretation to that.

MUSICAL STYLE: The music of the band moves on the fields of the U.S. metal sound. The band actually gives equal space both to heavy/aggressive riffs (that have sometimes a thrash metal touch too) and melodies. Also the biggest part of the compositions are in mid – tempos and there are times they flirt with doom metal bringing to mind bands like SOLITUDE AETURNUS. In my opinion the use of mid paced tempos give the album an epic feeling. The compositions grab your attention from the first listening, but the more you listen to them the more they grow in you.

CONCLUSION: SLEEPY HOLLOW once again managed to release a good album of U.S. heavy/power metal and I think that the fans of the band and in general of this sound will find here an album that will keep them interested for a long time.

Nick “Verkaim” Parastatidis