Mega Colossus hail from North Carolina and up until 2016, they were simply known as Colossus. The five-piece formed in 2005 and play traditional heavy metal, so you know what to expect before even listening: plenty of theatrics, dramatization and powerful vocals, rich musical melodies and solid rhythmic execution. They are a band who seem to have plenty of high praise but fly under the radar of many, which in turn leads to the possibility of unearthing a gem with their sixth album “Riptime”. So with interest piqued, let’s see what this adventure minded band have in store for us on their “steroided up” take on traditional metal!
Fast paced and rapid fire riffs open up “Razor City” and the sharp vocal delivery which culminates in a mighty falsetto wail sets the scene for this opening track. It’s a classic blend of 80’s classic metal and power metal. The blazing speed of the guitars which leave a trail of red hot riffs and piercing leads across the track are matched by the solid rhythm section locking it all down and the dramatic vocals which lead the charge with a blend of powerful singing and powerful Halford-esque wails paint a vivid picture of the kind of place razor city is. “Midnight Zone” opens up with some classic Maiden style twin guitar harmonies before shifting into a tight, cruising groove. The melodic quality of the vocals is counter-pointed by the melodic baseline, which in places matches the guitar lines giving a really vibrant sound. The chorus has an uplifting feel to it which has a slight empowering effect, a staple of the power metal sound and when we hit the lead section, the piercing treble-heavy edge to the tone helps the lead slice through the mix with the steel edge many tropes of power metal are fond of.
“Vigilo Confido” has some pretty tight drum work and when its main riff rolls in after the big intro it’s another dose of classic metal. With nods to classic Maiden and Priest, the harmonized riffing is on point. The melodic accenting, the driving bass and tight palm muting gives it a solid hook and the tricky fills add that sharpness which allows solos to roll off the main sequences with ease. It’s traditional metal at its finest, giving a real vibe of adventure and excitement in musical form and you start to see just why Mega Colossus say they play adventure metal! “Tinker Tanner” is just straight up power metal which sounds like it belongs in a high-fantasy themed game or film. Its steady paced delivery is only matched by the narrative vocals which play heavily on the theatrical side. Spinning a tale about a legendary merchant, the vocals draw you in and the musical delivery behind them helps add to the atmosphere, sounding in parts like a heavy metal tavern song and in other points, an adventurous epic of looting and monster slaying.
“Run To The Fight” has a fade-in introduction which swells in volume and presence with a lead melody and strings backing it up to give a tension building effect which is broken by a rapid fire twin-guitar attack. The fast-paced tempo matches the urgency of the situation developing within the lyrics and if you thought that this could have been a 3 Inches Of Blood track, you would be forgiven for that assumption. It has the musical edge the mid-2000s power metal band were known for with its sharp guitars, piercing falsetto shrieks and dramatic clean singing. The heavy riff and shred solo section towards the final third of the track is intense and seems to fit naturally into the track, leading to a dramatic chorus rendition to cap the track in style. “Boiling Seas” has a dramatic edge to its intro, surging like waves and the vocals themselves are like the turbulent waves. Cresting with falsetto shrieks before crashing down into rapid-fire dramatic and commanding bursts, they pretty much set the tone for the track. The guitar work is yet again a blend of razor sharp riffing and shred-heavy lead work dancing across them. Powerful harmonies give way to twisting leads and the galloping bass underneath keeps things surging forwards at a blistering pace. You would think that this was the middle of the release, but no, it in fact is the penultimate track, setting the scene for a dramatic climax with “Iron Rain”.
Closing track “Iron Rain” keeps up the musical trend of the release. The theatrical blend of NWOBHM and power metal builds the suspense and atmosphere of the track. Huge gallops and rapid fire fills progress the track as the commanding vocals kick in once more with their narrative quality, diving between commanding cleans and piercing screams and it does well in painting a very vivid mental picture of a dramatic battle akin to something you would see in any high fantasy tv show or film. Like the rest of the album, the guitar work is solid; wild shred friendly leads slice through the tight rhythm section, dancing like blades in a sword fight and the thundering bass rumbles on with plenty of power and strength. The symphonic middle section leads to a vocal/guitar “woah-oh-oh” moment which would no doubt go down well in a live setting and it naturally shifts into another great lead section loaded with twisting runs and harmony spots before the big chorus finale to wrap the album up.
In all, “Riptime” is a solid power metal album which pays homage to traditional metal whilst having that refined modern heavy edge without losing any of its spirit. The harmonies are tight, the theatrical vocals are powerful and the atmosphere presented by the music works well in taking you on a fantasy filled adventure. Some might call it cheesy or over the top, but that’s what adventure minded power metal is all about! Riptime is a call to arms, so join your bannermen and march onwards for glory!
(8/10 Fraggle)
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