REVIEW: COLD COLOURS - The Great Depression

 

COLD COLOURS - The Great Depression

Sleaszy Rider Records

The cover artwork, noted for its lack of overt computer-aided design, provides an aesthetic link to earlier eras of metal, drawing comparisons to releases such as KING DIAMOND's Voodoo and SAVATAGE's Poets and Madmen. This visual choice may serve to position the album within a specific lineage of classic metal.

Musically, COLD COLOURS operates within the domain of what can be classified as dark power/thrash metal. The band's third official release demonstrates a commitment to blending aggressive thrash rhythms with power metal's melodic complexity.

A key structural feature of the album is the integration of both harsh and clean vocals. This vocal dynamic is a distinctive choice that allows the music to shift between states of aggression and melodic clarity. While the mixture of vocal styles may be an acquired taste for some listeners, it contributes significantly to the band's sonic identity.

The compositions on The Great Depression reflect a broad range of influences from the metal landscape:

 

US Power/Thrash: There is a clear stylistic debt to the heavy riffing and epic scope often associated with bands like early ICED EARTH.

Melodic Death Metal: The faster, more aggressive sections, particularly those utilizing harsh vocals, exhibit the intensity and despair characteristic of the melodic death metal genre, specifically evoking bands like DARK TRANQUILLITY.

Progressive/Death Elements: Elements of the late-era DEATH sound—particularly in the arrangements and technicality of certain guitar passages—are discernible.

Traditional Power Metal: Moments of layered vocal harmony and grand, soaring melodies, such as those present in the track " Days Of Ire" suggest an influence from groups like DEMONS & WIZARDS.

The band successfully synthesizes these varied influences, applying them under a consistent stylistic framework. The material suggests an intent to create music that is both informed by metal history and executed with a recognizable voice, avoiding mere duplication of past sounds.

COLD COLOURS' The Great Depression is a notable entry in the contemporary U.S. power/thrash scene, offering a sound characterized by dynamic shifts between vocal styles and a sophisticated integration of genre influences. The album warrants attention from listeners interested in metal that bridges classic power aesthetics with a darker, more aggressive edge.

Nick Parastatidis