For those who are unfamiliar with Fifth Angel, a brief history goes along the lines of; Released a rather excellent debut in 1986, for once living up to its hype, it could easily sit alongside releases by Queensryche and Crimson Glory in the same year. The band were snapped up by Epic Records who re-released the debut. After guitarist James Byrd was replaced by Kendal Bechtell, the follow-up “Time Will Tell” finally appeared in 1989. The three-year gap meant the band lost a little impetus, a bit of their initial heaviness and disbanded a few years after. Three members of the “Time Will Tell” line-up (drummer Ken Mary, bassist John Macko, plus guitarist – and now also vocalist, Kendal Bechtell) reformed in 2017 to record the comeback album “The Third Secret”, a solid album blending past and present, but in my opinion missing maybe the input of a second guitarist, a dedicated stand-alone vocalist and to be honest, that recognisable Fifth Angel-ness.
Well, there’s been more changes afoot since then, with the welcome return of original guitarist Ed Archer, the departure of Bechtell and the recruitment of current Flotsam and Jetsam axeman Steve Conley. Musically this has really beefed up the band’s sound, and, maybe thanks to the returning Archer, you can really hear some of the signature style lead-work that was so apparent on the first two albums and one of the things that set the band apart. Another important addition however is relatively unknown vocalist Steve Carlson, whose note-perfect classic Metal delivery (displaying a style somewhere between Apollo Papathanasio [in his Firewind years], Tim Ripper Owens and Ronnie Romero) has given the band an extra dimension and helped this to become an album worthy of the Fifth Angel name.
A concept album, echoing the style of Operation Mindcrime (but with a more apocalyptic orientation), with narration aplenty, it’s a hefty and engaging mix of in-yer-face memorable Melodic Metal tunes, weighing in at around 70 minutes long. One factor that its predecessor had was that fabulous Fifth Angel powerhouse rhythm section, yet here Mary and Macko seem even more energised, knowing their thundering, dynamic rhythms will be carried further by the twin guitar assault the band were always known for. Tracks on this album are instantly memorable, yet crammed with hidden depths, the lead-work is sublime and the vocals are top notch. Although “The Third Secret” was a very competent return, “When Angels Kill” is the album that for me really shows Fifth Angel’s return with resounding authority, maturity and most importantly a swathe of great and striking Metal songs.
(8.5/10 Andy Barker)
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