AFM Records
Release: 13 March 2020
Line-Up:
Will Shaw (vocals)
Rod Rivera (guitars)
Mike Lepond (bass)
Tony Stahl (keyboards)
Dan Prestup (drums)
Tracklist:
Risen Death AD
The Prophecy
Destiny
The Maker
Reach for the Sun
Visions
Chains of Time
Fear and Fury
But You
For Whom the Bell Tolls
Every year since I have begun this reviewing thing, there is always at least one release per year that sneaks up on me and blows my mind. Sometimes it’s a band that’s not released anything (or anything good) in a long time or a new band. So far 2020 hasn’t given me anything that came out of leftfield and really grabbed my eardrums. Until now, that is. AFM Records has released a massive album from a fantastic new band with some members that have been around a little bit in the business.
They’re called DeadRisen and their s/t debut is nothing short of amazing. I had no idea what to expect going in and was thoroughly impressed with the songs contained. DeadRisen encompasses a multi-genre buffet of songs ranging from a more traditional style to Prog to Power to Thrash to moments of melodic Metal. Even though that sounds like a chaotic mix of styles DeadRisen manages to stay true to their sound. Guitarist Rod Rivera is one of the key reasons why it covers such a vast array of sounds, deftly leaping from blistering Metal leads to super-fast Flamenco licks. Vocalist Will Shaw possesses’ a voice that is a mix of Russ Andersen of Forbidden and Steve Grimmett with dashes of Rob Halford (and is the voice of Heir Apparent.) I love the smooth transitions from tracks like “Destiny,” “Reach For the Sun,” and “Visions” where there are so many style changes.
With the exception of the laidback “Reach For The Sun,” DeadRisen’s s/t debut is an amazing slab of Metal. Heavy and melodic with a powerhouse singer, a truly gifted guitarist, and a rhythm section featuring bass whiz Mike LePond and drummer Dan Pretup, along with keyboards by Tony Stahl, this is a very promising band that could very well have a prolific career ahead of them. Out of the band, LePond has the highest profile, but I hope that his SyX duties won’t prevent him from sticking this one out. If they can make a debut this strong, who knows what greatness the future holds for them.
Written by: Chris Martin
Ratings: 9/10
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