Brutiful_ViXn
Reign In Metal
Zodiac :  Metal Reputation : 88
Join date : 2012-01-05
Location : Vacationing in Hell
 | |  Skreamer - Blackened Earth 2013 (Album Review) | |
Skreamer - Blackened Earth (2013)
Self-Released/Skreamer Music -- Running Time 38:33
Skreamer, another of the bands that had me cranking my neck for the first time at the 'Rock & Metal Circus Festival', are a young four-piece Modern Metal outfit based in London. Possessor of one of the most intense singer/guitarists I have witnessed for a long time! (and an incredible head of hair as well), 'Samuel Morter' is a true frontman and has a scream that could curdle most stomachs at twenty paces! That is also true of his performance on 'Blackened Earth', Skreamer's debut album!
Maybe my tastes are changing, or perhaps since I've been reviewing and listen to so many bands I'm now really able to sort the good from the bad, but two years ago I would have said Skreamer were ok and left it at that. Now, listening to this album multiple times ready to write my review, it has proved to me what a fabulous band Skreamer are. They cover a huge variety of metal genres Death, Thrash, NWOBHM, Trad, Modern, Prog, Alt etc and do it with a huge amount of energy and passion producing an almost spot on album. Truthfully, I do think it is vocally where my views are changing. Samuel is a singer with harsh vocals that I could well have found off putting, but because he utilises good singing as well then it all sits much more favourably with me than it might have done. In this case, I also think seeing the band live before listening to the album helped a great deal as well!
Kicking off with 'Victim' (dedicated to Sophie Lancaster, whose life was so tragically cut short because she dared to dress differently) is a great way to start the album and shows Skreamer's versatility as a band from the start. Samuel, who also plays lead guitar provides a very unusual but superb solo in this song and his riffs, sound and talent are obvious throughout the whole of the album. second guitarist 'Andreas Pavlou' adds real balls to the riffs, thickening the sound wonderfully, Bassist 'Sergio Ronchetti' also has a huge part to play with some great bass lines that can be clearly heard thanks to the fabulous production. Performance of the whole album though has to go to drummer 'Bobby Steel'. A lot of you will know I'm a drummer so that is something I always 'hear' first. Bobby is a powerhouse performer, who shows some incredible talent, and I take my hat off to him!
All nine tracks here offer some interesting themes that really burrow into your brain the more you listen. Female singer 'Anna Ray' who guests on the song 'Opiate' adds a refreshing alternative vocally and the variety of riffs, rhythms and styles create a sound that is unique to this band. Just listen to 'Flesh And Blood' for proof! There is only one track that doesn't really pass the muster and that is the title track which closes the album. At over seven minutes it's the longest track but could have been shortened. There are plenty of plus points but just over half way through a riff starts that is a little too close to Sabbath's 'Heaven And Hell'. It might have been intentional but spoils what has gone before and ends the album on a minus mark for me! That aside, 'Blackened Earth' is a fabulous debut album and Skreamer are very definitely one of the new breed of modern metal bands to keep a close eye on. Album number two could be very special indeed!
https://www.facebook.com/SkreamerOfficial
http://www.reverbnation.com/skreamer
Review written exclusively for Brutiful Entertainment by Rick Tilley
www.facebook.com/richard.tilley.351
| |
|
