Scandals : 16/20 | My first review of the year, but actually my second CD, since the Royal Mail seemed to not want to give me my Christmas CD in 2009. I bought this on a whim, having enjoyed a few tracks on Myspace. It was the first victim of my Random CD Generator, from a few days before Christmas last year. To be honest, I’d never heard of these guys before this happened, but they’re from Philadelphia and they rock pretty hard.
The first thing that strikes you about ‘Be Gone’ is its amazing cover art. It adds a feel of the epic before you even listen to the album; stone structures draped in vegetation while the sky and sea sit peacefully in the background. It certainly provides a contrast to traditional power metal covers of dragons, battles and the like. The music reigns in power metal histrionics to produce a slick, galloping collection of tracks. Catchy metal anthems are the order of the day here, with ‘Rats and Rope’ being a particular favourite. Opener ‘Speak to Me’, has a nice Maiden-esque intro riff, and the vocals remind you of Hansi Kursch or Ripper Owens. ‘Be Gone’ is an album that drips quality, from the solos to the sublime melodic streak that streaks through every song.
Reminiscent of Firewind’s more straightforward moments, ‘Be Gone’ is a sterling heavy metal album that does nothing new, but doesn’t need to. In fact, its dedication to the art is what makes it such a rewarding listen. It’s a feel good album, and if you don’t feel roused by tracks like ‘Cover Your Eyes and Pray’, then you should check your pulse. You may, in fact, be dead.
2010-01-11 00:00:00
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