JUSTIN’S METAL REVIEWS W/C 5/7/10

SOILWORK / THE PANIC BROADCAST

Soilwork have got to be in the top 5 of Swedish Death Metal bands along with Hypocrisy, In Flames, Arch Enemy and Opeth and this album is yet another reason why this style of Death Metal leads the world, it’s just so damned good.

Right from the lead track “Late For The Kill, Early For The Slaughter” you are left in no doubt what type of Metal this is, the Gothenburg sound is so distinctive and so good to listen to the pummelling Metal riffs, the great use of dynamics and a strong hook laden Melodies make for a winning formula.  If you want further proof then how about the stunning “Let This River Flow”, the word inspired comes to mind when listening to it, it starts and finishes with a beautiful, haunting melody, driven by acoustic guitars before building into a fantastic song that is both powerful and delicate at the same time, “Night Comes Clean” is just as good, if not better, “The Thrill” and “Epitome” are harder, more aggressive in their attack but still have some great melodic guitar riffs in them.

Overall this is a damned fine album that you will come back to again and again, there is a limited edition version with an extra track “Sweet Demise” and a bonus DVD, its worth buying just for the extra track, this will be in my top ten of 2010, no problem, an essential purchase then, Justin has spoken.

WEBSITE      http://www.soilwork.org

TOTAL PLAYING TIME = 52 mins + 11 TRACKS

EDENBRIDGE / SOLITAIRE

If you like Symphonic Power Metal and bands like Epica, Nightwish and Within Temptation, then this new CD by Austrian band Edenbridge will be just what your looking  for, full of great powerful songs, performed to perfection and vocalist that has such a fantastic voice.

The lady concerned it one Sabine Edelsbacher and she really has a powerful, melodic voice that is just so good you cant fail to be bold over by her, just listen to the first proper track “Solitaire” it is so good and has everything you could ever want, power, melody, aggression and will keep you hooked for all of the 6 minutes plus that it lasts and this is just the first track.  The next track “Higher” is shorter, more commercial and even better, if that’s at all possible and “Skyline’s End” and “Bon Voyage Vagabond” will win you over o first play and that’s just the start of the album.  By the time “Come Undone” comes flooding out of the speakers you will be totally hooked on Arne "Lanvall" Stockhammer and Dominik Sebastian’s twin guitar work and wondering how you ever got along without them.

I cant recommend this album too highly, its as good as any of the bands listed above last albums if not even better and that’s why I nave mad it a clear winner for album of the week, go and get it now!

WEBSITE      http://www.edenbridge.org and http://www.napalmrecords.com

TOTAL PLAYING TIME = 53 mins + 11 GLORIOUS TRACKS