Gotama Studio is back with another great released from Italian scene, this time it is new e.p. by Slang Poor Kids, trio from Brescia/Cremona, Italy. They play melodic hardcore punk, leaning with both feet in old school, nineties style like all those Californian bands play and still play. There are four songs on this one, with lyrics in English language. The singer´s English is great, that is not often the case with Italian bands that sing in English. Music is fast, skate punk with many excellent melodies, both in verse and choruses that make you sing along, it doesn´t matter whether you want it or not. My personal favorites on this little e.p. are We Failed and By Your Side. If you like quality melodic hardcore punk check this one out.
It took five years since Vanishing Values, last full length for Munich crew to release the next full length opus. It would be earlier but due to well known circumstances it was delayed. There were some line-up changes, but that did not stop this well oiled machine with guitarist/singer Bart at the helm of the ship to deliver mighty new album. These guys were never shy in showing their metal roots and this album is no different. This is technical skate punk mixed with lots of thrash and even death metal influences, sounding energetic and really fantastic, at the same time aggressive and melodic. Bart´s voice carries the melody and backing vocal harmonies are great, but there is also screaming and some rough metal influenced vocals that combine anger with epic melody. The example for this could be Virus, one of the best songs on the record, combining skate punk and NWOBHM in main melody which is so catchy and memorable. The whole album is fast and strong, when it starts it draws you into a grind and doesn´t let go till the end. One of the certain favorites is also awesome Shame On You with fist pumping pure punk metal energy flying high. Dead Certain has such a wicked solo that even Slayer would not be ashamed. Lyric wise, Straightline deal with many issues from the point of view of common man, yet themes are important and make you keep your head high in these ugly times. But to me, THE song on this record is Leaders Of Self-Destruction, a wicked mixture of Swedish death metal influenced riffs and epic punk rock. This album is a step up for this band and for sure their best one yet. Album of the month for sure, if not year.
I loved Blind Guardian and their old school legendary back catalogue, until Nightfall…album, later on they became too prog with too riff soup songs that were too long and lost their anthemic value to epic prog metal and I found most of their newer albums pretty boring. But, lo and behold the new one is upon us and it is a step back to that old school glory days, meaning more aggressive sound, faster songs and their trademark power/true metal which made them so beloved in the first place. Hansi Kursch sings like he is back in Imaginations…era and most of all, here is quality songwriting at play. Opener Deliver Us From Evil is a straightforward warrior song with all BG qualities, fast riffs, superb melody and sing along anthem. Damnation is a dramatic song with choir refrain, wicked guitar solo and tempo shifts but not pretentious, rather practical. Secrets Of The American Gods is a song that I heard prior to album and it promised to be, despite its length, a nice addition to the band´s setlist for tours. A bit more slower, but hits you right in the eye with Neil Gaiman inspired atmosphere coupled with fantastic guitar work of Olbrich/Siepen. Violent Shadows is by far the hardest song, total thrash speed metal attack with double bass drumming and blistering speed. Life Beyond The Spheres is the song I personally don´t like, it is boring and too long and belongs to that part of Blind Guardian I am not too fond of, but luckily, album goes on. Architects Of Doom is for me another highlight on this album, again treading into thrash speed metal waters but retaining enough BG melody in chorus to counter all harshness. Blind Guardian gave us some of the greatest ballads, so this album also has one, called Let It Be No More. In my opinion, this one is not the same level as those ballads that went to become legendary, this one is average metal ballad, not memorable. Blood Of The Elves is another banger of a song, melting your face with sharp riffs and great chorus. Destiny closes the album in grandiose and bombastic style. Although there are couple of weaker songs, this is a strong album by German legends.
KRAYKULLA-WEBZINE 