Desert Near the End – Tides of Time Review

by

There are albums that have the sonic diversity as its symbol. It’s a characteristic of some bands to have a very diverse music. By diverse I mean there are albums that are so difficult to label because the music in it changes all the time. Desert Near the End’s “End Tides of Time,” for instance, dives into Metal music world from the tides of the NWOBHM to Thrash Metal. From where I’m standing, the band that has the nearest sound is Iced Earth. There is the spirit of “The Dark Saga” in it.

With that in mind it gets easier to say about “Tides of Time” whose tracks are all long and epic. To some extent, Alexandros Papandreou’s vocals does remind Matt Barlow’s. The intent is almost the same. That’s what I mean. By the way, Papandreou’s voice is pretty versatile. “Tides of Time” isn’t a concept album, but it does sound as if it were. “Burn Like the Sun, Shine Like the Dawn” proves my point perfectly. On the other hand, it was almost impossible not to headbang and sing “Mordor,” the chorus of Running Wild’s “Mordor.” So sorry, the main guitar riff of “Ascension” immeadiately addressed to it. But it’s undeniable the album’s violence and force. The music in here is pretty strong.

“Tides of Time” is an album that will hold my dear child of the night’s breath. It’s an album with all the ingredients to please to most demanding metalhead from all subgenres. “Damnation,” for instance, has a featured female voice that enlightens the mood and brings the album a little bit near Symphonic Metal. Just a little bit.

Desert Near the End “Tides of Time” was released on December 06th via Theogonia Records.

Track Listing:

01. City of Eternal Flame
02. Ascension
03. Oceans of Time
04. Children of Lethe
05. Half-Learned and Long Forgotten
06. Sunset Fields
07. Burn Like the Sun, Shine Like the Dawn
08. Damnation
09. In the North of Every Man’s Heart..