Reviews

Trauma – As the World Dies

June 10, 2018

This thing of influences in Metal is just weird because they just come and go. Of course, big bands influence more than small ones, but you can feel that they do leave their legacy. Not only that, sometimes some bands are influenced by an era of a band, which is more weird. As I told before, nothing comes out of the blue. There is no such thing as spontaneous generation. All things change, but some bands are so resilient to changes. I mean, not really them, their legacy. It’s kind to be frozen in time and space. Let’s take the Sabbath and Maiden for instance. They had their changes during their more than successful career. It seems that only moments of their careers are preferred. Sabbath with Ozzy era and Maiden the classical Bruce era. Of course this is no rule.

Trauma are a faithful keeper of this dear Metal tradition. “As the World Dies” shows that and goes beyond. But don’t go thinking Trauma are a band of newcomers. No, they are veterans of the metallic wars. They’ve been around since 1981, but, infortunately, never got the recognition they deserved. But now is the time. Times change and Trauma got a brand new chance. It’s the law of moviment: everything changes.

“As the World Dies” differs from other efforts in many aspects because Trauma were able to accomplish the task of being at the same very energetic and musically complex. We all know it’s not an easy task. “The Rage” and the title track do a pretty good job in terms of energy and complexity. We can see clearly Trauma do whatever they want in terms of speed and cadence. Because of that “As the World Dies” is an album full of moviment. It can’t get any boring.

A song like “Gun to Your Head” passes the exact idea of what it is no have a gun to your head. Or maybe so, as I never had one. But the riffing guitar phrase is pretty good as well as the licks. Then comes “Last Rites” breaking all the frenzy “Gun to Your Head” brought. A slower tune, full of emotion with the known crescendos which enlight a song. Great vocalist Donny Hillier performance. Glad to hear “Run for Cover” and its saxonic feeling and that chorus pedal atmosphere again.

Trauma “As the World Dies” was released on May 11th via The Orchard/Sony.

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