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October 8, 2008 |
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01. Empower
02. Inside Me
03. Stigmata
04. Let Me Out
05. Do Or Die
06. Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea
07. The Search
08. Under Cover Of Darkness
09. Face To Face
10. Point Of No Return
11. The Huntsman
12. Web Of Faith
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On this, their fourth CD, Quebec's HANKER have delivered a straight ahead power metal disc that, while it doesn't break any new ground for the genre, is a fairly enjoyable listen. Produced by fellow KATAKLYSM's Jean-Francois Dagenais, "Web of Faith" features some massive drumming courtesy of skin-basher Luc Guay, and sing-a-long choruses that stick with the listener long after you've put the disc away. Just try and get the chorus to "Let Me Out" out of your head. In the past, HANKER have been compared to JAG PANZER, however on this outing, XYZ instantly comes to my mind with it's kind of late 80's feel.
The thick and beefy guitar riffing of Patrick Gravel shows a few of his influences throughout, with IRON MAIDEN being the most obvious. There is also a slight RAMMSTEIN (?!) feel to a couple of the chugging, opening riffs. While not copying anyone in particular, Gravel has developed a style that works well for each song. Man, this guy can play!
Overall, this is a good disc, though I do have a couple of issues with it. I must say that I'm not crazy about the vocals of Pascal Cliché. Not that he isn't a good singer, because he is. It's just that the performance here is a little monotone and uninspiring at times. As well, I could do without the boxy snare drum sound. Other than that, the production job of J-F Dagenais is a polished affair that stays on a straight course and has a comfortable feel to it, though the tunes may be a little darker in lyrical content than most in the power metal genre.
HANKER are not going to break into the mainstream consciousness of the record-buying public with "Web of Faith", but what they have done is create a good power metal album that pays respect to their various influences. If you are a fan of HANKER, then you will absolutely like this disc. If you're not a fan, it probably won't win you over.
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