Album number five is ready and waiting, from this Swedish heavy metal juggernaut. I have followed their releases from the start, with each one there’s marked improvement. This one some might say is a cataclysmic shift in the quality stakes. It takes the band out of the underground and carries them forward into a well-deserved theatre of elite musicians.
‘Kingmaker’ immediately sets the tone for the album. There is still the Screamer of old, however, the production, the style is much more refined. It still kick ass, but I am sure there will be “some” who will moan about a slight augmentation of presentation. There is no denying, the first track is a killer introduction. ‘Sounds of the Night’ may well stop the detractors, the staccato style of riffing has bundles of energy. There are undertones of keyboards audible too. The vocal melodies are pretty special, very solid and complimentary. ‘Rise Above’ merges the melodic metal of bands like Pretty Maids and Eclipse into the Screamer mould. Again, it’s vibrant and enjoyable. You can easily take the melody and start singing along without even completing this track, it has that quality of due to the infectious nature of the arrangement, listen out for the cool guitar melody around the two-minute mark.
‘Ashes of Fire’ takes melody even further, its little disconcerting if I am honest, verging into Euro metal of the last 20 years. However, keeping their feet in the ground, the meaty guitar work may have you brandishing fist raising power in response. ‘Hellfire’ returns with the bands traditional influences that got them recognised in the first place, subtle keyboards can be heard in this one too strong vocal and guitar melodies are here to stay and I’ve got used to them by now. ‘Renegade’ really sits well and makes you nod along in appreciation whilst ‘Burn It Down’ will get you a speeding ticket.
Not everyone can stay in the underground forever, this is a great release of a band who have worked very hard to get themselves to where they are today. I only wish I’d not missed them in a pub gig in London a few years ago. The album has everything, yes it’s a touch different, but we get bored with the same stuff all the time don’t we? The overriding summary would be melodic prowess and immense quality has catapulted Screamer into the next level, I can only applaud this as well as possessing my favourite album cover of theirs to date.
(9/10 Paul Maddison)
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