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September 7, 2008 |
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01. Free Fall
02. Idle Self
03. Eyes Of Hatred
04. 24 Hours
05. Momentary Lapse
06. Sons Of Insanity
07. Miseryborne
08. Enemy Within
09. In A Shallow End
10. Death's Design
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Lately, 2005 has reminded me of the signing haydays of the mid-eighties when any metal band could get a record deal - Have guitar? Please sign here! Of course, the majority of those bands disappeared after only one or two albums (and for good reason), as will many of the mediocre bands being signed today. Enter GOD.FEAR.NONE...this name you should remember in time.
From the ashes of SADWINGS and WASTEFALL, Greece's GOD.FEAR.NONE was assembled to create a more aggressive and intense sounding band. They are the brainchild of guitarist Jim Voustas and include core vocalist Chronis, drummer Kostis Papalexopoulous, the young guitar virtuoso Chris Mike, and the unique vocalist Domenik who also undertook bass duties. The band bring a dynamic fusion of different musical backgrounds with a common interest: metal. Citing influences as a combination of SOILWORK, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, and NEVERMORE, I had a feeling I would find this a welcomed blend if it was done right...and it was.
Greece's Sonic Age Records continues to amaze with another great signing. This band must have done something to impress management as their sound is a bit different than many in the Sonic Age roster, which for the most part consists of bands playing the traditional metal sound. GOD.FEAR.NONE bring to the listener a combination of melodic death metal and traditional metal, with some metalcore influences thrown in. I assume some of their traditional metal sound was enough for Sonic Age Records to take a chance on them - a chance that I am confident will pay off.
My reaction from "Envy"'s first track from these youngsters (average age 23), "Free Fall", is more of a mixture of the recent LAMB OF GOD and the whole NWOAHM sound mixed with traditional metal. The song is chock full of heavy chops and the chorus is similar to much of the older Gothenburg sound (see IN FLAMES). Add to that rapid-fire drumming and speed picking that Hanneman made famous on early SLAYER releases and you've got a devastating opener on the band's debut release. If this keeps up, we've got a winner. Other notable tracks include "Idle Self" with its dual-vocals, melodic chorus and chaotic drumming, "24 Hours" - which is full of time changes and impressive fretwork, and "Momentary Lapse" with plenty of double-kick, and the awesome dual axe-attack of Chris Mike and Jim Voustas.
Throughout "Envy", we find a mixture of both clean and death vocals, bludgeoning riffs, and razor-sharp solo work, all backed by a barrage of drums, which makes for a nice tight package. The speedy traditional style metal leads are very much appreciated, as many guitar solos seem to have taken a back seat to shouts, screams, and breakdowns lately. Sure, I enjoy a good breakdown, but not as a replacement for the guitar solo. Production is fairly strong, with all the instruments balanced out well for the most part throughout the CD. However, on a couple of songs, there is some amazing stuff going on with the guitars and I found I really had to work to hear it.
GOD.FEAR.NONE could break off into their own direction by incorporating more of the traditional style with the melodic death style. I think they're headed in the right direction and that would definitely set them apart (and hopefully above) the multitude of bands playing on the melodic death wagon, enabling them to stand-out a bit and hopefully gather the following they rightfully deserve. Sonic Age Records has signed yet another winner here and I've listened to this one so much that I'm already eager for their next release.
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