Isn’t it wonderful when an album starts like Melechesh “Sentinels Of Shamash” did with a compelling track with amazing guitar riffs and a relentless mood?
The most amazing thing about “Sentinels Of Shamash” is that it relies on old school Extreme Metal tradition from the 1980s. In fact, the album sounds as if it were recorded in the 1980s with some more modern recording that left the music much more listenable and the crystal clear quality of sound. Vocalist Melechesh Ashmedi‘s tone of voice helps a lot labeling as so because it addresses to Udo Dirschneider and Chris Boltendahl, both harsh voices that border the gutural.
Well, as I did not know the band, as many of them that I receive everyday, I went to Google and looked it up – I’d rather be open and say I do not know the band than write a lot about it using the AI. The band’s name is a portmanteau of the Hebrew/Aramaic words melech (king) and esh (fire), meaning “King of Fire.” Founded in 1993, the band is famous for pioneering “Mesopotamian Metal,” a mix of black/thrash metal with Sumerian and Assyrian themes. Very interesting. Sumeria and Assyria are accepted as the places where civilization started and from where many Old Testament histories took place.
With “Sentinels Of Shamash” Melechesh bring back a tradition of having amazing guitar riffs that make the fan headbang with no effert. Album first fire “The Seventh Verdict” commences with a guitar riff that melts into the fan’s mind so easily. The perfect sound quality helps a lot as well as the fan is able to listen all details very well, and, believe me, there are lots of them in the track. The other great thing about it is that it changes almost organically, so, the fan will not notice the track has gone into another direction. Again, vocalist Melechesh Ashmedi‘s tone of voice helps a lot because it allows the track to take all these different directions. “In Shadows, In Light” keeps the insane pace and the relentless guitar riffing, however, it introduces some slight, but very slight, oriental features. If you liked the opening track, you’ll love “In Shadows, In Light” as well. Grand finale “Raptors of Anzu“ initiates with a cool pace, but soon it shifts to an insane relentless guitar riffing and drumming keeping the faith of the following tracks. It is so interesting how in an album of only three tracks it was possible to understand Melechesh‘s personality and musical signature. Great bands are just like this.
Melechesh “Sentinels Of Shamash” was released on April 10th via Reigning Phoenix Music.
Track Listing:
1. The Seventh Verdict
2. In Shadows, In Light
Watch “Raptors of Anzu” official lyric video:
I’m just a lucky guy who has chosen metal to live with for a long time. Metal changed my life for good. It made me more confident and stronger. Metalheads are naturally far away from the mass mediocrity and don’t accept impostures from anybody else. Metal is more than music, it’s a life changing oportunity!