Some revieweres don’t like to read the press releases they receive because it may ‘polute’ their impressions about the band they are about to listen. It may be true. On the other hand, press releases can supply one with ideas or, even, clean the ideas one has about the bands. I, for instance, thought this was the Raider I reviewed last year with “Runaway.” Well, I couldn’t be more wrong. Both bands have nothing to do except the name. Back to the press releases. I also find them useful to check the PR’s opinion about the band. Not only the PR – PR stands for Public Relations the professional that cares about the bands career – sometimes the text we reviewers receive were written by the band. In this very especific case I went to look for the opinion about the band’s genre. Some details told me this Raider is much more a Thrash Metal band than anything else. The details I’m talking about are the bass lines, moreover, the bass overtones and the guitars harmonically more related to Thrash Metal traits. Reading the press release I discover that the opinion is that “Trial by Chaos” is a Melodic Death Metal album. Well, I can’t agree with that and I’ll say why. My dear child of the night knows that it’s not doing to so vehemently disagree on a press release about the sungenre of a band. But this time is different. I have to exercize my power of understanding Metal music as a whole. I have to let my dear fans that there are differences among bands and what they are. At least, if I don’t suceed, it gave me a hook to start writing this review…
First of all, vocals. Vocals here are the only thing that puts “Trial by Chaos” near the labeling Melodic Death Metal. But, – there is always one – Thrash Metal bands are evolving to have more aggressive vocals. Diva Satanica with Nervosa does this kind of vocals in a Thrash Metal band. Their new songs won’t change a thing about that as the appetizer they released shows. Ok, now the guitars. As we all know Melodic Death Metal has this name because there is some melody embedded in the songs. This melody is usually given by the guitars. Or they follow NWOBHM melodic and harmonic structures including the twin guitars, or they follow an Old School Heavy Metal approach more related to more modern Heavy Metal bands with a large use of blast beats and other Extreme Metal drumming. Check “Ark of Empyrea,” for instance. Pay attention to the guitar riffing. Lyrics here follow much more a Thrash Metal aesthetic than Death Metal as my dear child of the night might get from their tittles. Last, but not the least, and the thing that first called my attention, the bass overtones. They have that characteristic metalic sound Thrash Metal basses have. “Juggernaut Cerebrivore” is a good example. Those are my final arguments… hehehehehehe
Raider “Trial by Chaos” will be self-released on April 07th.
