Τι
συμβαίνει στην ηπειρωτική Ευρώπη την ίδια εποχή που στα βρετανικά νησιά το
NWOBHM έχει ξεκινήσει να ανεβαίνει; Πολλά συγκροτήματα αντιγράφουν στεγνά το
νέο ιδίωμα. Οι τέσσερις πιτσιρικάδες από την Κοπεγχάγη παίζουν ήδη Punk Rock
και το ενώνουν με το Heavy Metal, ακριβώς όπως οι Motörhead, οι Venom λίγο
αργότερα, αλλά κυρίως οι Γάλλοι Trust την ίδια εποχή. Μόνο που το τελικό
αποτέλεσμα είναι πιο Punk, με ό,τι αυτό συνεπάγεται.
Τώρα,
μια κρίσιμη λεπτομέρεια είναι ότι τις δύο κιθάρες του σχήματος παίζουν οι Hank
Sherman και Michael Denner! Ναι, αυτοί που θα αρπάξουν τον τραγουδιστή ενός
άλλου Gothic Rock συγκροτήματος, των Black Rose, έναν οπαδό των Misfits και των
Uriah Heep, ονόματι King Diamond. Και, έναν χρόνο μετά από αυτό το άλμπουμ,
τόσο οι Black Rose όσο και οι Brats θα αποτελούν παρελθόν. Οι Mercyful Fate θα
είναι το νέο αμάλγαμα που θα έρθει στον κόσμο.
Κομμάτια
όπως τα Oy-95, Tame Me (Insomniac), Punk Fashion, το σχεδόν έξι λεπτών Doom
Metal τραγούδι Complex (Don't Destroy Me), Fuel, Accepted, Heavy Rocker, Pinned
on My Eyelids είναι ένα ταξίδι σε μια εποχή όπου πάνκηδες, μέταλα και ροκάδες
ήταν ΜΙΑ ομάδα, με παρόμοιες κοινωνικές αντιλήψεις και μόνο μουσικές διαφορές.
English:
Punkish Metal from Denmark, the Land of Metal
What was happening in continental Europe at the same
time that the NWOBHM was beginning to rise in the British Isles? Many bands
were simply copying the new sound. The four youngsters from Copenhagen were
already playing Punk Rock and blending it with Heavy Metal, much like
Motörhead, Venom a little later, and, above all, France’s Trust around the same
time. Only here, the end result is more Punk-oriented, with all that this
entails.
Now, one crucial detail is that the band’s two
guitarists are Hank Sherman and Michael Denner! Yes, the very same two who
would go on to recruit the vocalist of another Gothic Rock band, Black Rose: a
Misfits and Uriah Heep fan by the name of King Diamond. And, a year after this
album, both Black Rose and Brats would be history. Mercyful Fate would be the
new amalgamation about to enter the world.
Tracks such as Oy-95, Tame Me (Insomniac), Punk
Fashion, the almost six-minute Doom Metal song Complex (Don't Destroy Me),
Fuel, Accepted, Heavy Rocker, and Pinned on My Eyelids take you on a journey
back to an era when punks, metalheads, and rockers were ONE crowd, sharing
similar social attitudes and divided only by their musical differences.
The Dutch newcomers ENCORION arrived with their debut
full-length, Facing History and Ourselves, presenting a distinctive rendition
of folk and Viking metal while revealing themselves as a hard-working,
well-bonded band with considerable potential for the future. Released by the
Greek label Sleaszy Rider Records in March 2011, the album introduced a group
willing to explore the meeting point between traditional folk expression and
the darker, more aggressive language of extreme metal.
Facing History and Ourselves feels like a distillation
of the band’s experiences, influences and musical ambitions. Rather than simply
reproducing the established formulas of the genre, ENCORION use their debut to
look backward while simultaneously trying to pave the way toward their future.
The result is an engaging mixture of the elements for which folk, pagan and
Viking metal are known: atmospheric melodies, a strong sense of historical
identity and the forceful impact of death- and black-metal-inspired aggression.
What works particularly well here is the band’s
understanding of contrast. ENCORION know how to blend traditional folk melodies
with extreme-metal intensity, finding an effective balance between the soft,
organic ideas of the past and the contemporary, hard-edged character of
aggressive metal. The music does not treat these two sides as opposites that
cannot coexist; instead, it allows them to strengthen one another. Melodic
passages create atmosphere and emotional depth, while the heavier sections add
urgency and power.
The violin plays an important role in shaping this
identity. Its presence gives the material additional depth and helps accentuate
the album’s central contradiction: the dialogue between past and present,
heritage and modernity, organic melody and metallic force. In this context, the
instrument is more than a decorative folk-metal detail. It becomes one of the
elements that gives ENCORION’s sound its own character and helps separate the
band from more conventional extreme-metal acts.
The album also reflects the broader Dutch folk-metal
tradition, a scene that has produced several bands combining European folklore,
pagan themes and extreme-metal foundations. ENCORION’s approach belongs to this
wider musical landscape, but Facing History and Ourselves demonstrates that the
band were not merely following a trend. Their emphasis on melodic development,
violin-led colour and the collision of folk sensibility with black/death-metal
aggression gives the release a personal and promising direction.
As a debut, Facing History and Ourselves may still
carry the traces of a band developing its full identity, but that is also part
of its appeal. It captures ENCORION at an early and important stage: ambitious,
sincere and clearly aware of the possibilities within their chosen style. The
record shows a skillful group with strong chemistry, a clear affection for
folk-inspired melody and the ability to create convincing tension between
atmospheric passages and extreme-metal power.
Facing History and Ourselves is a very good debut from
a band that has the potential to offer even more in the future. If you are into
folk, Viking or pagan extreme metal, ENCORION are certainly worth checking
out—and their name is one you should keep in mind.
VOODOO CIRCLE is, pretty much, a supergroup. The band
features David Readman of ADAGIO and PINK CREAM 69 on vocals, Mat Sinner of
SINNER and PRIMAL FEAR on bass, guitarist Alex Beyrodt—known for his work with
SILENT FORCE, SINNER and PRIMAL FEAR—drummer Markus Kullmann, and keyboardist
Jimmy Kresic. With a line-up like this, expectations naturally run high.
Fortunately, Broken Heart Syndrome delivers exactly what its personnel
promise—and then some.
Originally released by AFM Records on February 25,
2011, the album contains twelve tracks and runs for approximately 55 minutes.
It is also the band’s second full-length release, and the record on which
VOODOO CIRCLE truly established its musical identity.
Describing the band’s sound, I would say that Broken
Heart Syndrome is a near-perfect mixture of classic RAINBOW, WHITESNAKE and
Yngwie Malmsteen. In the lead-guitar department, Alex Beyrodt frequently
recalls the melodic authority of Ritchie Blackmore and the neoclassical fire of
Malmsteen. David Readman, meanwhile, brings a powerful, expressive delivery
that occasionally carries unmistakable David Coverdale touches, while also
retaining his own distinctive character.
The keyboards add another important colour to the
overall sound. Their Hammond-style and vintage melodic textures bring to mind
the work of Jon Lord and David Rosenthal, strengthening the album’s classic
hard-rock atmosphere without ever overwhelming the guitars. This balance is one
of the record’s greatest strengths: every instrument is played by an
exceptional musician, yet the songs remain the centre of attention.
The rhythm section takes a somewhat fresher, more
AOR-oriented approach. Mat Sinner and Markus Kullmann provide a firm, energetic
foundation, giving the songs a modern sense of drive while preserving their
old-school character. As a result, the album never feels like a simple exercise
in nostalgia. The classic influences are obvious, but they are combined with
strong songwriting, polished arrangements and enough personality to keep the
record sounding alive.
The opening track, “No Solution Blues,” immediately
sets the tone with its blues-based hard-rock attack, muscular rhythm section
and unmistakable 1980s atmosphere. “King of Your Dreams” highlights Beyrodt’s
elegant, Blackmore-inspired soloing, while “Devil’s Daughter” and “Blind Man”
lean further into the bluesier side of the band’s sound. “The Heavens Are
Burning” is another clear highlight, built around dramatic keyboards, memorable
guitar melodies and Readman’s commanding vocal performance.
Even the slower passages benefit from the band’s
musicianship. Beyrodt’s guitar often seems to speak rather than simply
demonstrate technique, particularly when the arrangements leave room for
expressive solos and sustained melodies. The album’s twelve-track sequence also
gives the listener plenty of variety, moving between driving melodic hard rock,
blues-infused numbers and more atmospheric moments before closing with “Wings
of Fury.”
What makes Broken Heart Syndrome especially satisfying
is that, despite the musicians’ impressive reputations, VOODOO CIRCLE does not
sound like a collection of unrelated solo careers placed in the same room. The
album has a clear identity: vintage hard rock at its core, melodic metal in its
precision, AOR in its accessibility and blues rock in its emotional weight. The
result is smooth, confident and exceptionally well performed.
The songs catch you from the very first riff, and I am
sure as hell that I am going to melt this CD by listening to it over and over
again. All lovers of melodic hard rock and classic metal should give Broken
Heart Syndrome a chance. Satisfaction is 100% guaranteed!
Στο
τρίτο άλμπουμ των U.D.O. του δαιμόνιου Udo Dirkschneider, το κλασικό Faceless
World, είδαμε μια πιο εμπορική στροφή, και αυτό στην Ευρώπη δεν έκανε και την
καλύτερη εντύπωση στους πολυάριθμους φίλους τους. Ήρθε, λοιπόν, η ώρα να
εφαρμοστεί το άτυπο αξίωμα του overcorrection στο επόμενο άλμπουμ, που
κυκλοφόρησε έναν χρόνο αργότερα και είναι αυτό εδώ το μικρό Speed/Power Metal
διαμάντι.
Πέραν
του κοντού, ξανθού Γερμανού ερμηνευτή, ως τετράδα εδώ συμπράττουν οι Mathias
Dieth στην κιθάρα, Thomas Smuszynski στο μπάσο και Stefan Schwarzmann στα
ντραμς, ενώ ο Udo συνεργάζεται στους στίχους με την Deaffy, τη σύζυγο του Wolf
Hoffmann, κιθαρίστα και συνεργάτη του, βέβαια, στο ιστορικό σχήμα των Accept.
Το τελευταίο γεγονός δεν ήταν καθόλου τυχαίο, αφού η επανένωση για το Objection
Overruled ήταν πλέον ζήτημα χρόνου — και θα συνέβαινε!
Επιθετικό,
αλλά και τραχύ στην παραγωγή, γρήγορο και στακάτο Metal, κομμένο και ραμμένο
στα χνάρια του Painkiller των Judas Priest, θα έλεγα. Μαςέμεινανέκτοτεσταμπαρισμέναστ’ αφτιάκαιστομυαλότα «Metal Eater», «Thunderforce», «Overloaded», «Burning
Heat», «Timebomb», «Powersquad», «Soldiers of Darkness» και «Metal Maniac Master Mind».
English:
Dynamite with the Fuse Lit
On U.D.O.’s third album, the classic Faceless World,
the formidable Udo Dirkschneider and his band took a noticeably more commercial
turn—a move that didn’t sit well with many of their devoted European fans. So,
for the follow-up released just a year later, the unwritten rule of
“overcorrection” kicked in, resulting in the compact Speed/Power Metal gem
you’re holding now.
Beyond the short, blond German frontman, the core
quartet here features Mathias Dieth on guitar, Thomas Smuszynski on bass, and
Stefan Schwarzmann on drums. Lyrically, Udo co-writes with Deaffy—the wife of
Wolf Hoffmann, his longtime Accept bandmate and collaborator. That connection
was no coincidence: with the Accept reunion for Objection Overruled already a
matter of time (and it did happen), the creative bridges were being rebuilt.
The album is aggressive and raw in its
production—fast, staccato Metal cut to the pattern of Judas Priest’s
Painkiller. Since then, certain tracks have burned themselves into our ears and
minds: “Metal Eater,” “Thunderforce,” “Overloaded,” “Burning Heat,” “Timebomb,”
“Powersquad,” “Soldiers of Darkness,” and “Metal Maniac Master Mind.”
Δυνατό
το τέταρτο δημιούργημα ενός εκ των βασικών Death Metal θεμελιωτών, τουλάχιστον
όσον αφορά τη σκηνή της Φλόριντα. Ένα είδος που, ομολογουμένως, είχε φτάσει σε
κορεσμό, θεματολογικά, αλλά το κυριότερο, από εμπορικής πλευράς. Κι όμως, οι
John Tardy στη φωνή, Allen West και Trevor Peres στις κιθάρες, Frank Watkins
στο μπάσο και Donald Tardy στα ντραμς ρίχνουν λίγο το βήμα εδώ, παίζοντας πιο
αργά και βασανιστικά σε κάποια σημεία. Διαφοροποιούνται έτσι τόσο από τον εαυτό
τους στο παρελθόν όσο και από τη συντριπτική πλειονότητα των Death Metal
σχημάτων στην Αμερική, τουλάχιστον.
Μου
άρεσε γιατί, πρώτα απ’ όλα, καταπιάνεται στιχουργικά με θέματα πέρα από τα
κλισέ της σκηνής. Όλοι όσοι αγαπάτε τους Γάλλους Gojira, προφανώς και ξεκινάτε
από εδώ, σε συνδυασμό με τα κλασικά άλμπουμ των Thrash Metal θεών Nuclear
Assault, τουλάχιστον θεματολογικά: προβληματισμός για το περιβάλλον, με
αναπάντητες ερωτήσεις και, φυσικά, θάνατος!
Η
στροφή στιχουργικά είναι όντως ενδιαφέρουσα. Ουσιαστικά, η μουσική τους είναι
αυτή που γνωρίζαμε από τα τρία πρώτα άλμπουμ τους — Death Metal σχολής Scott
Burns και Φλόριντα — αλλά με περισσότερο φρένο.
Με
την εναρκτήρια τριάδα Don't Care, World Demise, Burned In και, στη συνέχεια,
χαρακτηριστικά κομμάτια του δίσκου όπως τα Paralyzing, Lost, Solid State, Final
Thoughts, Boiling Point και Kill For Me, έχουμε εδώ ένα πολύ καλό και
διαφορετικό σύνολο, στο πιο ώριμο άλμπουμ τους μέχρι τότε.
English:
In the Spirit of Its Time
A strong fourth offering from one of the fundamental
pioneers of Death Metal, at least as far as the Florida scene is concerned. A
genre that had, admittedly, reached a point of thematic saturation, but more
importantly, commercial saturation. And yet, John Tardy on vocals, Allen West
and Trevor Peres on guitars, Frank Watkins on bass, and Donald Tardy on drums
slow things down a little here, playing at a more deliberate and torturous pace
in places. In doing so, they distinguish themselves both from their own earlier
work and from the overwhelming majority of Death Metal bands in America, at
least.
I liked it because, first and foremost, its lyrical
themes go beyond the scene's usual clichés. Those of you who love France's
Gojira will obviously find a starting point here, combined, at least
thematically, with the classic albums of Thrash Metal gods Nuclear Assault:
environmental concerns, unanswered questions and, of course, death!
The lyrical shift is indeed interesting. Musically,
they are essentially doing what we already knew from their first three albums —
Scott Burns/Florida-school Death Metal — but with the brakes applied a little
more.
With the opening trio of Don't Care, World Demise,
Burned In, followed by such characteristic tracks as Paralyzing, Lost, Solid
State, Final Thoughts, Boiling Point and Kill For Me, what we have here is a
very good and distinctive collection, and their most mature album up to that
point.
ANNIHILATIONMANCER
- The Involution Philosophy (2011)
Pure Underground Records
Many thrash metal bands have emerged in recent years,
and several of them have delivered releases worthy of attention..
ANNIHILATIONMANCER come from Naples, Italy, and have been active since 1994.
After several years of development and earlier demo recordings, the band
finally released their debut full-length, The Involution Philosophy, through
Pure Underground Records in 2011.
Their kind of thrash metal is a bit different from
what we are used to hearing. ANNIHILATIONMANCER are more interested in
technical and progressive thrash than in following the most straightforward
formula of the genre. This makes their music more demanding and, at times,
difficult to digest. The album runs for approximately forty-eight minutes and
contains seven main songs plus the introductory instrumental “Antimateria,” giving
the band enough space to present its ideas in detail.
The influences come from bands such as SLAYER,
MEGADETH, TOXIK, WATCHTOWER, ANNIHILATOR, VOIVOD and CORONER. The MEGADETH
influence is especially noticeable in the vocals, which reminded me quite a lot
of Dave Mustaine’s raspy and aggressive delivery. At the same time, the music
is more complicated than standard thrash, with unusual riff structures,
frequent changes of tempo, technical guitar passages and progressive
arrangements.
The album begins with “Antimateria,” an intro that
prepares the listener for the technical attack that follows. “Etereo,” “The
Involution Philosophy” and “Apolide” demonstrate the band’s interest in
combining classic thrash aggression with more intricate songwriting. The title
track itself lasts over seven minutes, allowing the musicians to develop
several ideas instead of relying on a short and predictable structure.
“Impoverishment God Existence,” “Corner of the Answers” and “Reflected in Her
Life” continue this approach, with the guitars remaining the dominant force
throughout the release.
All of this sounds great, especially when we add the
fact that the musicians of this band are skillful and seem to know how to play
their instruments quite well. The guitar work is the strongest element of the
album, moving between sharp rhythm riffs, technical passages and extended lead
sections. The drums also have to follow a demanding rhythmic framework, while
the bass contributes to the dense and tightly arranged character of the songs.
The performances are not amateurish; this is clearly a band with considerable
instrumental ability.
So, from such a skilful band, you cannot expect
anything less than an interesting album. Yes, ANNIHILATIONMANCER have some very
good ideas, and there are moments when their mixture of technical and
progressive thrash works very well. Their music has energy, ambition and enough
complexity to satisfy listeners who enjoy challenging metal. They also avoid
sounding like a simple copy of one particular influence, even though the
presence of those influences is easy to recognize.
However, if you look at the whole picture of this
release, you will notice that the band lacks variety. From a certain point
onward, I had the feeling that I was listening to the same things again and
again. The riffs are often technically impressive, but the songs do not always
develop in a sufficiently different way from one another. The album sometimes
feels more focused on showing the musicians’ abilities than on creating memorable
compositions.
I believe that the band needs to tame their skills to
the point where they become functional and serve the compositions. Technical
ability is important, but it should support the songs rather than become the
main purpose of the songs. A difficult riff or a complicated rhythmic change
does not necessarily make a composition stronger if there is no memorable idea
behind it.
It would be great if, on their next release,
ANNIHILATIONMANCER could create songs that are both technical and memorable.
They clearly possess the talent, experience and ambition to do so. What they
need is a better balance between progressive complexity, aggression and
songwriting that stays in the listener’s mind after the album has finished.
The Involution Philosophy is an interesting but
demanding debut from an Italian band with strong technical abilities and clear
respect for the more progressive side of thrash metal. Fans of TOXIK,
WATCHTOWER, CORONER and technically minded MEGADETH may find a lot to
appreciate here, while listeners who prefer direct and immediately memorable
thrash may find the album repetitive. Therefore, I would advise you to try to
listen to this release carefully before you decide whether it deserves a place
in your collection.
There was a time back in the mid-’90s when classic
Heavy and Power Metal had started gaining serious momentum and had once again
become one of the most fashionable trends in metal. But, as with everything
else, the music industry likes to keep things moving, so new trends appear, old
ones disappear, and the wheel keeps turning. Nowadays, it is the Metalcore and
Hardcore era, which means that classic Heavy Metal is often neglected, if not
entirely forgotten, by most record labels.
I have never liked the business side of music or the
whole concept of trends. For me personally, it all boils down to the things I
like to listen to and the things I don’t. I certainly don’t like or accept
record labels trying to shove bands down my throat simply because they happen
to be the “next big thing” of the current trend. This whole mentality makes me
sick. Still, there is light at the end of the tunnel. There is hope, and there
is always something exciting to be discovered, because when an interesting,
ass-kicking band makes its appearance, true Heavy Metal fans are bound to find
it sooner or later.
That is pretty much what happened to me with
BENEDICTUM and their third studio album, Dominion. Originally released by
Frontiers Records in February 2011 in Europe and March in North America,
Dominion arrived at a particularly interesting point in the band’s career.
Formed in 2005 and quickly noticed by former DIO guitarist Craig Goldy,
Benedictum had already built a reputation with their first two albums,
Uncreation and Seasons of Tragedy, as well as appearances at festivals such as
Wacken Open Air and Gods of Metal and touring with Doro. For Dominion, they
moved to Frontiers and, with a significantly reshuffled line-up around the core
duo of vocalist Veronica Freeman and guitarist Pete Wells, brought in Grammy
Award-winning producer Ryan Greene, whose credits include Megadeth, NOFX, MxPx
and F5.
And believe me, they came, they saw, they conquered!
They simply blew my mind with their classic Heavy
Metal structures, infused with quite a few progressive and modern touches.
Dominion, running for just over an hour, is here to take us all by storm with
its dynamic and powerful compositions, flawless musicianship, memorable riffs
and choruses. This is not an album that relies solely on brute force, either. One
of the things I particularly like about it is its versatility and variety. It
is undoubtedly a powerful and mighty record, but it never lacks melody,
atmosphere or beautiful guitar work, and its songs possess different characters
and moods.
There are straightforward Heavy Metal anthems such as
“Dominion,” “Grind It” and the fist-pumping “Bang,” darker and more threatening
material such as “Dark Heart,” more melodic moments such as “Loud Silence,” and
then there is “Epsilon,” the nearly nine-minute epic that takes the band into
considerably more progressive territory. The latter is probably the clearest
indication that Benedictum were not content simply to repeat what they had
already done. With its extended structure, keyboards and scorching guitar work,
it expands the album’s musical horizon without ever losing its Heavy Metal
identity. Guest guitarist Craig Goldy adds his own touch to the track, while
the album also benefits from the presence of Jeff Pilson and the legendary Rudy
Sarzo, who lays down the bass on “Bang.”
What makes this album stand out, apart from its
beautiful compositions, excellent execution and powerful production, is
undoubtedly its lead singer, Veronica Freeman. She is one of the best singers I
have listened to in a long time, and I am not only referring to female singers.
Her voice has such depth, flexibility, aggression and passion that she can sing
melodically, scream and growl, shifting effortlessly between different
expressions without ever losing her identity. Her range is impressive, but the
common denominator in everything she does is that her voice serves the songs
rather than merely showing off what she can do. It enhances their character and
increases your satisfaction to the maximum. Contemporary reviewers likewise
singled out Freeman’s power, versatility and commanding presence as one of the
album’s greatest strengths.
Pete Wells, meanwhile, is responsible for a
substantial part of the album’s identity. His riffing is heavy, muscular and
rooted firmly in the classic British and American Metal traditions, while his
solos provide enough technical fireworks to keep things interesting. The rhythm
section of Chris Shrum and Mikey Pannone keeps everything firmly under control,
and Tony Diaz’s keyboards become particularly important when the band ventures
into its more atmospheric and progressive territory. The result is a sound that
remains unmistakably Heavy Metal while allowing Benedictum enough room to
breathe and experiment.
And if all this isn't enough for you, the album offers
two bonus tracks, both of which are actually worth your attention. The first is
“Sanctuary,” a beautiful acoustic-based ballad that reveals a considerably
softer side of Freeman and the band. It is a welcome change of pace after
almost fifty minutes of headbanging, aggression and fist-pumping Heavy Metal.
Interestingly, the song was written by Freeman and Wells several years earlier,
while Jeff Pilson contributes vocals and acoustic guitar to the recording.
Freeman herself has spoken enthusiastically about the song and its
collaboration with Pilson.
And then comes the real surprise: “Overture/Temples of
Syrinx,” Benedictum’s interpretation of the opening section of Rush’s 2112.
Choosing Rush was certainly not the most obvious move for a traditional Heavy
Metal band, but it makes perfect sense here, considering the progressive
tendencies already present in Dominion. The band stays remarkably close to the
original while delivering it through its own heavier perspective. Apparently,
the idea came from producer Ryan Greene during the mixing sessions, and even
the band’s rhythm section initially thought the song would be a serious
challenge. They were not wrong—the result, however, was well worth the effort.
And this is exactly what I like about Dominion. It is
not afraid to be a Heavy Metal album first, but it is equally unafraid to
stretch its boundaries when the song demands it. It can crush you with a riff,
hit you with a chorus, slow down for a melodic passage and then suddenly launch
into an eight-minute progressive adventure. The eleven original compositions
are followed by the two bonus tracks, making for a remarkably varied listening
experience that never feels as predictable as its traditional-metal foundations
might suggest.
Of course, Dominion is not without its imperfections.
Some of its ideas are stronger than others, and the album’s ambition
occasionally threatens to become a little too much. But even its weaker moments
are outweighed by the sheer energy, musicianship and personality that
Benedictum bring to the table. This is a band with something that many
technically proficient modern acts seem to lack: character.
And that, ultimately, is what makes Dominion such an
enjoyable record.
In an era when trends come and go and record labels
constantly search for the next fashionable sound, Benedictum simply played
Heavy Metal on their own terms. They brought the riffs, the power, the melody,
the progressive touches and, above all, Veronica Freeman’s phenomenal voice.
Dominion may not reinvent Heavy Metal—and it certainly does not need to. It
simply reminds us why we fell in love with the genre in the first place.
Check them out. Turn it up. And let Benedictum do the
rest.
Το
πρώτο τους, κυριολεκτικά, αλλά και το πρώτο τους για μένα που άκουσα, καλοκαίρι
του 1997. Αγορασμένο LP, σφραγισμένο, εισαγωγής, αλλά στα φτηνά, από το Rock
City της οδού Ακαδημίας. Ωραία εμπειρία, ωραίο βρετανικό hard & heavy στα
όρια του NWOBHM.
Έχει
μέσα υλικό που αξίζει πολλά, όπως τα Rock Brigade, Wasted, Sorrow Is a Woman,
Hello America — κι αυτό ειδικά δείχνει πού και πώς θα κατέληγαν, σε λίγα
χρόνια, ως ήχος αλλά και ως image — Satellite, When the Walls Come Tumbling
Down και Answer to the Master, που είναι τα πιο χαρακτηριστικά από τα έντεκα
συνολικά τραγούδια του δίσκου.
Οι
πέντε τότε νεαροί από το επαρχιακό Σέφιλντ πατάνε, από τη μια, στα χνάρια των
Saxon και, από την άλλη, των Led Zeppelin της μετά το Physical Graffiti εποχής.
Από
το επόμενο άλμπουμ τους, High ’N’ Dry του 1981, θα ανοίξουν, επί το
εμπορικότερο, το μουσικό ύφος τους. Το τρίτο τους άλμπουμ, Pyromania, θα τους
κάνει χρυσούς δισκογραφικά και τα αγαπημένα παιδιά του τότε νέου MTV.
Η
πράσινη γλίτσα με τις ροζ τσιχλόφουσκες και το «λεοπαρδαλέ» ντύσιμο του Glam θα
τους βρει στο Hysteria, επτά χρόνια μετά από τούτο.
Έκτοτε,
απλά, ποτέ δεν θα ακουστούν τόσο βρετανικά Heavy. Ορθότερα, δεν θα το ήθελαν
κιόλας. Οπότε, ας το παραδεχτούμε: αυτό επιθυμούσαν κι αυτό έκαναν!
English:
A Lorry, a Full-Moon Night
Their first one, quite literally, and also the first
one I ever heard, back in the summer of 1997. A sealed, imported LP, bought for
a bargain price from Rock City on Akademias Street. A great experience: proper
British hard & heavy, right on the edge of NWOBHM.
There is plenty of material here that is worth its
weight in gold, including Rock Brigade, Wasted, Sorrow Is a Woman, Hello
America — and this one, in particular, already hints at where they would end up
a few years later, both in terms of sound and image — Satellite, When the Walls
Come Tumbling Down, and Answer to the Master, which are among the most
characteristic tracks on the album’s eleven-song tracklist.
The five young lads from provincial Sheffield were, on
the one hand, following in the footsteps of Saxon and, on the other, drawing
from the post-Physical Graffiti era of Led Zeppelin.
With their next album, High ’N’ Dry (1981), they would
begin to broaden their musical style in a more commercial direction. Their
third album, Pyromania, would earn them gold status and turn them into darlings
of the then-new MTV.
The green slime, pink bubblegum and “leopard-print”
Glam attire would catch up with them on Hysteria, seven years after this
record.
From that point on, they would simply never sound this
British and Heavy again. More accurately, they did not want to. So let’s admit
it: that was what they wanted, and that was exactly what they did.
