Closing in now on nearly 30 years in the business, Rage’s influence has spread far and wide. Having perfected their brand of Teutonic power metal, many bands of a similar ilk and persuasion have taken their direction from the energetic and enthusiastic stylings of Mr Peavey Wagner and Co. Their latest offering, ‘21’ is their 21st studio album, and if you are wondering if a band with such a prolific output can still cut the mustard both creatively and musically after all this time, well I can answer that one for you right now. Yes they can.
First things first, just look at that album cover! Seriously, go and look at it. Done? Splendid! Doesn’t that cover just ooze metal? It’s great to see that in an era where album sales are increasingly dominated by digital downloads that some bands still take the time and effort to make an eye catching album cover. Having gone through many line-up changes over the course of their lengthy existence, it’s arguable that they now have their strongest line-up of all, with the ever present Peavey’s bass and vocals complimented by the precision percussion attack of Andre Hilgers, and the quite excellent Victor Smolski on guitar. There are times on ‘21’ when it all comes together in a perfect storm to create a pure wave of metal that comes crashing over you, particularly on the faster elements of the title track, ‘Forever Dead’ and ‘Concrete Wall’. The title track is an absolute belter, mixing melody with speed and power in a way that the Germans seem to do almost effortlessly.
Lyrically, Rage have been guilty of being a touch clumsy over the years, and fans will be delighted to know that this album is no exception. For example, on ‘Serial Killer’, the line “I’m killing you serial, I’m serious”, does make one give a double take on the first listen, and then burst out laughing on subsequent listens as I imagine him gleefully pouring acid into a bowl of cornflakes. Also on ‘Death Romantic’ a song about the assisted suicide/murder of lonely teenagers, the line in the chorus comes across as, “Kiss me, I’m dead romantic”, giving the impression that the protagonist of the song is a winking naked Yorkshireman with a flat cap and a pipe. Clunky lyrics aside, Peavey Wagner manages to make every song, regardless of subject matter, a joyful, bouncy and uplifting experience and that is one of the things about Rage that has always been the case, even on ‘Serial Killer’ where Wagner shows he can carry off death metal vocals as well. Perhaps a side project for the future there?
It’s very difficult to find fault with ‘21’, and if you are already a confirmed fan, this not only has everything you would expect from a Rage album, but possibly even slightly more, as it is certainly one of their better offerings of recent years. For those who are not already familiar with Rage, if you are a fan of traditional metal, played with speed, precision and an infinite amount of enthusiasm, then delay no longer and give this a try. Metal doesn’t always have to be bleak and nihilistic or even hyperblasting fury. Time was when it could be fun also, and Rage are unquestionably that.
(8/10, Lee Kimber)
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