Label: Nuclear Blast Records
Genre: Epic Metal
Release Date: August 23rd, 2019
Line-Up:
Berthammer| guitar
Robse | vocals
Skar | clear vocals
Skadi | Synths
Dom Crey | guitar
Hati | drums
Tracklist:
01. Renegades – A Lost Generation
02. Tornado
03. Himmel und Feuer
04. Path of Destiny (feat. The Butcher Sisters)
05. Moonlight
06. Kawaakari – The Periphery of the Mind
07. Johnny B. (bonus)
08. Final Tear
09. Hype Train (feat. Julie Elven)
10. Rise of the Phoenix
German metallers Equilibrium are a band that doesn’t stand still, a fact that helped them to establish themselves in Metal and by also benefiting from a growing fan base.
The guys began in 2001 and it was Rene Bartholomew who kick-started Equilibrium together with Helge Stang, Sandra Volkl, and Andreas Volkl. Today Barthlaume is the only remaining founding member after the band went through a renewal in 2010 and a second one a few months ago. Martin Berger became a part of the line-up taking over the clean vocal duties while it’s Skadi Rosehurst adding the keyboard parts to Equilibrium’s sound.
Three years after the highly successful ‘Armageddon’ record hit the shelves it is ‘Renegades’ adding a new chapter to the story of the Bavarian Metal band. Album number six continues a journey towards Epic Metal with big melodies, growls and catchy clean vocals. All these ingredients come together in dense tunes like ‘Himmel und Feuer’, a song that carries certainly a lot of commercial potential.
But as mentioned earlier, Equilibrium doesn’t stand still and it’s ‘Path of Density’ that manifests the open approach in a great fashion. A dense a sound, heavy riffs and well-crafted vocals lead to a middle section that couldn’t be expected to be that way. It is a rap part that is a jaw-dropping moment on the album, done by Butcher Sisters. What impresses with this distraction is the fact that this rap section fits well in the context of the song and doesn’t feel out of place.
Furthermore, the band left the Northern mythology days behind and shifts lyrically towards more personal themes as well as it’s apocalyptic scenarios that are sketched on the album. The overall vibe of the album though stays dark and gloomy. ‘Renegades’, although comprising of great melodies, isn’t a light-hearted album. It’s the harmonic moments that seem to be solely in place to strengthen the heavy section, creating a well-embedded contrast and tension throughout.
‘Renegades’ showcases a band that doesn’t deny their roots while moving on by evolving their sound. The new album has the potential to score similar successes as the previous disc and can widen the fan base even more.
Written by: Markus Wiedenmann
Ratings: (8/10)
About Author
