JUSTIN’S METAL REVIEWS W/C
GOD DETHRONED / PASSIONDALE
For some reason 2009 has seen the return of the concept
album, with Sepultura, Vried, Queensryche and Green Day
all putting one out and all of them good and now Dutch Death Metal band God
Dethroned have joined in the fray with “Passiondale”.
This is the 3rd concept album about war in 6
months with Hail Of Bullets starting the trend last year about the Russian
front, Vried’s about the Norwegian resistance and now
God Dethroned’s about the slaughter that was the
battle of Passiondale, in Belgium during the First
World War, where the total loss of men on both sides was a near to a
million. Musically this is God
Dethroned at their best, “Poison Fog” for instance is an absolute classic and
has everything you need from a Death Metal track, “Under Darkening A Sky” and
“Drowning In Mud” are just as good with stunning guitar riffs filling with great
solos and heartfelt lyrics about the slaughter that ensued during the
Battle.
This is a stunning album from God Dethroned, in fact I would
say its their best so far and as a concept album it works really well the
subject matter is befitting to the musical style and like the Vried album earlier this year all the tracks work just as
well on their own outside the concept of the album. If you like Brutal Death Metal you will
love this album, don’t let the fact that it’s a concept album put you off, also
listen out for; “”No Survivors”, “Behind Enemy Lies” and “No Man’s Land” all
deserving of your attention and as an added bonus initial copies come complete
with a live CD, listen to Death Metal and learn
history.
WEBSITE http://www.goddethroned.com/ & http://www.metalblade.co.uk/
DOWNLOAD
“Under A Darkening Sky”
TOTAL PLAYING TIME = 38 mins + 10
HISTORICAL TRACKS
POWERWOLF / BIBLE OF THE BEAST
If you like totally over the top, Opera styled Power Metal
in a similar to Italian band Rhapsody Of Fire, then this the latest CD from
German band Powerwolf will be just what you’re looking
for and will get you barking at the moon in no time.
The operatic influence on this album is stronger than ever
before and to my ears makes it even more essential listening, how can you listen
to a track like “Raise Your Fist, Evangelist” and end up with a simile on your
face, its just pure fun loving, escapism and lets face it we need to escape from
the true psychotic nature of reality occasionally, don’t we? The bands sense of fun also comes
through very strongly on the tracks “Panic In The Pentagram”, “Catholic In The
Morning, Satanist At Night” and “Resurrection By Erection”, whoever said the
German’s don’t have a sense of humour hasn’t heard theses
guys.
The fun content in this CD is as high as the Metal content
and as you would expect there are some really great Power chords on this album
and the Operatic style vocals makes this an essential buy and gets the seal of
approval, listen out for “Werewolves Of Armenia”, “Saint, Satan’s Day” and the
superb “We Take The Church By Storm”, if this is not enough for you get the
digipack and help yourself to a live DVD of the band
performing at Waken Open Air.
WEBSITE http://www.powerwolf.net/ & http://www.metalblade.co.uk/
DOWNLOAD
“Raise Your Fist, Evangelist”
TOTAL PLAYING TIME = 46 mins + 11
LICANTHROPIC TRACKS