2022 welcomes the debut release from five-piece Swedish Metal band Signs Of Truth. Expanding on the tag a little, they are nearer a Melodic Heavy Metal Band, with Hard Rock moments, but delivered with a Swedish tradition that goes back many years. Sweden’s had its own healthy Metal scene much like the UK did in the 80’s, but unlike over here, there was still plenty to be enjoyed and appreciated in the Melodic Heavy Metal world throughout the 90’s, well into the Millennium and right up to the present day. Signs Of Truth seem to take a great deal of heart and impetus from this.
They remind me of the crop of late 90’s Swedish bands such as Human Race, Damned Nation, Seven Wishes and Jekyll & Hyde (coincidentally, one of the young guitar playing stars of this era, Pontus Norgren – now with Hammerfall – makes a guest appearance on this album!), big on melody, but also weighty in the guitar department. Keyboards were also a factor with many of these bands, but used for effect, for moments of poignancy, as well as sparkling flourishes, and this is a side that Signs of Truth have also seized upon well, with vocalist Patrik Holm also handling the keys. On the subject of the vocals, they are delivered in the mid-range, confidently and powerfully, without soaring off into the stratosphere, and a perfect foil for the solid rhythm section and guitars.
The album isn’t exactly awash with keyboard or guitar solos, but when they happen they are used for emphasis, rather than for an ego boost, which gives a further feeling of this band working well as a unit for the good of every song. ‘News From North’ is a great example of the band mixing things up, varying the tempos and throwing in an entertaining instrumental passage rather than an involved solo – in others hands it could have been a Heavy Metal epic of over 10 minutes, but Signs of Truth choose to condense it into just over six, almost demanding you to play it again in case you missed something. At the other end of the spectrum is a strikingly poignant ballad about the loss of a child, which is delivered lyrically so personally that it’s hard not to share the writer’s pain. In general though, this is an upbeat, varied, solid debut, full of maturity and carrying on their country’s fine Melodic Metal tradition.
(7.5/10 Andy Barker)
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