DESERT
NEAR THE END - Tides of Time
Theogonia Records
On the question of whether thrash metal can be
combined with epic metal, the Americans OVERKILL provided a very convincing
answer with their release “Taking Over”, as did their compatriots MANILLA ROAD
with the album “Out of the Abyss”. Despite these memorable works, the fusion of
epic and thrash metal remains a challenging and, above all, rare endeavor.
Another question is whether a band can reinvent its
sound without losing its identity. Some major bands have provided a compelling
answer to this, such as JUDAS PRIEST and METALLICA up until the “Black Album”.
However, the result often disappoints fans (e.g., OMEN – “Reopening the Gates”,
JAG PANZER – “Dissident Alliance”).
To address these two admittedly tough questions, we
now have DESERT NEAR THE END with their latest release, “Tides of Time”. This
is a truly noteworthy album for this year, one that I believe will shake up the
Greek metal scene and, perhaps, the international one as well. And I say this
with no intention of exaggerating.
If you’ve listened to the band’s previous releases,
you’ll find this work familiar. The band retains the thrash metal core of their
sound while enriching it harmoniously and creatively with epic elements. You
can’t help but be moved by tracks like *Damnation*, which combines male and
female vocals with an epic doom metal atmosphere reminiscent of bands like
DOOMSWORD and CANDLEMASS, while also featuring bursts of thrash metal energy. Another
personal favorite, *Ascension*, carries an aesthetic that evokes OMEN and
RUNNING WILD. Without delving too much into specifics, every track on this
album has something valuable to offer the listener.
In short, DESERT NEAR THE END have achieved something
pivotal for their career with this release: they’ve reinvented their sound
without losing their identity. Most importantly, they’ve delivered an
exceptional and high-quality epic thrash metal album while taking a step
further by introducing a lyrical dimension to the genre.
Nick Parastatidis
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