Riptide Messiah - MMXX Review

Nikhil Hathi, vocalist of Riptide Messiah our subject of tonight’s review, has a nice voice. I like the way he sings. Yeah, sings as he uses his clean voice. His deep tone helps a lot with some harshness to make it even stronger. However, and it’s not a critique, but a fact, when he tries to force it to a pitch, for instance, he goes a little out of tuning. A little, just a little. I’m trying hard to remember here whoever he sounds like. I guess until the end of this review I’ll remember. So I wish…

What attracted me to “MMXX” was the fine and neat instrumentals, most notably the guitars. I like the clear and straight tone Alex Carter and Nikhil Hathi used here. Unfortunately, the press release doesn’t give the especs about who is who. But I ‘m sure that both did a wonderful job here. The guitars are intense with creative and energetic riffing and great clear tone. When I say clear I don’t mean clean, of course. Distortion is a mandatory effect to Metal guitars. What I mean is that it’s possible to hear perfectly all the chords and guitar lines. Exactly what we have here. Guitars that go straight ahead to the subject and fill the song with their sharp and intense sound. It’s possible to feel this from the beginning with “Wings of the Hallowed” whose riffing reminds a lot the great Savatage. At first I stranged Nikhil Hathi’s singing, but the sharp and intense guitars conquered me. Riptide Messiah follow the tradition of creating the riffing with guitar phrases, a very used thing but with sensacional effect. The kind of riffing I wish I were the one who wrote it. The impression I got while listening to “Wings of the Hallowed” was that it was rolling like a story. Following track “Idle Hands” follows the same guitar pattern of awesomeness. Full of phrases and prominent clear playing. I don’t want anything else. The impression is that the guitars take all the song over. In this track it’ spossible to notice that both guitarists share the solos. It’s a very subtle difference of tones, but there is one and I could tell.

Perhaps “MMXX” won’t change the faith of humankind, or even of Metal Music. Maybe it’s too much to ask from a Metal band. What I can assure is that it does guarantee some thirty minutes of extreme and lingering musical pleasure. Too bad it’s just an EP with only six songs. It just came to my that an advice for newcomers. Riptide Messiah reminds a little Avenged Sevenfold. I know many won’t like the comparison, but the vibe and grip are the same. And by the way, Avenged Sevenfold aren’t that bad.

Ah, I didn’t remember the name of the singer I’d like to. Ok, no problem.

Riptide Messiah “MMXX” was independently released on Januery 31st.

Track Listing: