Released by: Despotz Records
Release Date: 28 August 2015
Genre: Metal
Links: Facebook
Line up:
Christer “Krunt” Andersson – Guitars
Peter Morén – Drums
Tommi Karppanen – Bass
Ronny Hemlin – Vocals
Kenneth Jonsson – Guitars
Tracklisting:
01. Bow To The Reaper’s Blade
02. Forlorn
03. Where Ignorance Reigns
04. Remain
05. Black Fire Rising
06. Day Of Reckoning
07. The Shadows Play
08. Darkness Prevail
09. Fear Subside
10. Dream Of Memories
11. The World Is Growing Old
12. Your Own Demise
For many years now Tad Morose is a band many of my friends have told me to check out countless times, but minus a song or two here and there I really haven’t delved deeply into their stuff. I’m not sure why, as the people suggesting them were usually pretty straight up about music, but when there are so many bands, and myself being someone that listens to so many different styles, sometimes bands fall between the cracks. The name always struck me as odd, though that’s not directly the reason I have avoided them, at least consciously. I was expecting something a tad different than what I got, and honestly, I’m glad. For some reason I was under the delusion that they were more of a modern metal type of band, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Since I’m going in virtually blind on this band, and I didn’t go back and check out their past releases with any close proximity like I normally would, this is strictly based on what I’m hearing on their latest release St. Demonius. It’s pretty straight forward progressive metal. It really puts me in mind of Iced Earth during the time with Ripper. Vocalist Ronny Hemlin’s lower register is very reminiscent of Owens without sounding exactly like him. The songs are heavy, powerful, and made for an excellent listen. Tracks like “Bow To the Reaper’s Blade,” “The World Is Growing Old,” “Day of Reckoning,” and “Darkness Prevail” were standout’s for me. One thing that appealed to me was that unlike some prog metal, they have a great underlying almost doom feel to them, with the songs being fairly dark and droning at times.
I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this album. I will seek out their other material to compare, but on the surface it seems like an album that should be enjoyed by fans of this style. It’s not overly unique, minus the darker undertones perhaps, but overall a good enough album to make a fan of me and gives me the inspiration to check them out further, and really that’s all a band can ask for from any release outside of being a mega seller earning them millions of dollars.
Written by: Chris Martin
Ratings: Chris 7/10
