Equilibrium are a folk metal band who hail from Germany, over the course of a quite long career they have established themselves as one of the leading lights of the folk metal scene mixing sounds of their traditional music and mythology with symphonic black metal. Now despite their major billing you may not have heard of them, unless you are a fan of folk/pagan metal. This maybe because most of their albums are in German but Equilibrium and their leader/guitarist René Berthiaume have had a singular vision to make Equilibrium match his vision of what it could have always been. His drive to experiment with this band saw them move away from their traditional pagan metal roots to add some more cinematic elements and some more English language songs to broaden their appeal.
On this album though there has been a massive leap between Armageddon and Renegades, it's almost as if they have developed into another band, René has brought on board Skadi on keyboards and Skar on live bass and clean vocals, it's that last part that elevates this album. Robse's harsh vocals are still there growling as you'd want in a band built around pagan metal but now the myths and legends are gone giving way to more personal themes. As soon as you play this album you can hear that this is the sound of a band taking no prisoners at all the opening two numbers have big electronic synths cutting through the galloping power metal riffs and on Tornado the dual vocals gives things a feel of Amaranthe but with a bit more guts, though the Asian trance sound of Hype Train is almost exactly like it due to the additional vocals of Julie Elven. Himmel Und Freuer meanwhile almost sounds like AOR with the death vocals counteracting the joyous musical backing.
It's a lot to get your head around especially if you've heard the bands early work as this album is a lot different really amping everything up to 11, take a track like Moonlight which is anthemic and epic in equal measure like Amon Amarth playing a Sabaton song. I didn't know what to expect when I saw the pr surrounding this album but my god it blew me away, with some massive production it's one to play loud, if this is the sound the band have been aiming for then it's a vein they need to continue with as Renegades is a cracking release, unlike a lot of albums you will hear this year. 9/10
The Colony: Smoke & Mirrors (Self Released) [Matt Bladen]
Well this is a life affirming album if I've ever heard one, drawing from being tired and jaded with modern life The Colony's melodic metal brings crunchy modern metal riffs and grooves the likes of latter-day In Flames, Killswitch and Trivium bring to the table but with some cinematics and industrial touches. It's the sound of those glorious latter noughties, early 10's albums from bands mentioned above building on the foundation of metalcore but bringing in some djent and more classic metal. Much of this is due to the vocals which are as you'd expect are aggressive screams but mainly The Colony use clean vocals to drive their point across adding a emotive level to their heavy riffing metal style.
The twin guitars of Aaron Hobkirk and Konnar Anderson work in glorious unison on Soul Saviour adding technical riffs and fluid leads as the rhythm section of Riki Hobkirk (drums) and George Struthers (bass) adds the heavy grooves but also manage to dial things back on the middle section on The Flood which is a really affecting due to the powerful vocals of Peter Cullen. Things get heavier on Here We Stand which has dual guitar leads running through it and that classic metal sound. The Colony have made an album that have passion and emotion mixed with crushing riffs and melodic hooks, it's a very mature, anthemic release. 7/10
Mortal Infinity: In Cold Blood (Self Released) [Paul Hutchings]
Two long players and one EP into a journey that started ten years ago, Mortal Infinity may only boast one original member in Marc Doblinger, but this band from the sleepy lower Bavarian village Zeilarn (located in the Passau region) are anything but a chocolate box cover. Opening track Fellowship Of The Rats gnaws and scratches at the door in a frenzied slashing of claws and teeth. Changes in tempo, razor like lacerating guitar work and a sound that switches from Testament to Exodus to Death Angel in one foul sweep all bode well. I’m not keen on the spewed vocal intro to Misanthropic Collapse, but the heads down thrash works well with some feisty chugging buzz saw guitar work from long time guitarist Sebastian Unrath and more recent recruit Sebastian Brunner.
Doblinger’s feverish vocals switch between guttural death metal and the higher shrieks of legends like Steve ‘Zetro’ Souza. Dream Crusher contains a melodramatic mid-pause before launching into a change of direction, all the time the riff counter is hitting the top of the dial. The changes in style work well on an album which demonstrates a maturity forged from adversity. With a history of struggle, challenge and line-up changes almost bringing the band to an end around 2014, it is to their credit that they have been able to continue. Adding Alexander Glaser on bass and Adrian Müller on Drums in 2014 their second-long player Final Death Denied breathed new life which was enhanced with the arrival of Brunner filling the gap on rhythm guitars in early 2016. Now, with In Cold Blood, Mortal Infinity have released the album of their career. A brutal mixture of death and thrash, there is much to enjoy. 7/10
Excalion: Emotions (Scarlet Records) [Rich Oliver]Emotions is the fifth album by Finnish power metal band Exacalion and is ten songs of excellent melodic power metal. Much like a lot of Finnish power metal the keyboards are a very prominent instrument almost taking centre stage along with the guitars and they are used to full effect heightening the various melodies through the album. Another well used weapon in Excalion’s arsenal is singer Marcus Lång who has a voice very similar in sound and style to fellow Finnish metal singer Marco Hietala (of Nightwish and Tarot fame). Emotions is by no means a groundbreaking album but features great vocals, splendid guitar work, sterling melodies and quality songwriting.
Apart from a couple of ballads the songs follow a similar style and structure but the album remains interesting and ear catching from start to finish with the highlights for me being Sunshine Path, Nightmariner and Callsign. I remember not being overly keen when hearing Excalion’s previous album Dream Alive but going off my enjoyment of this new album I definitely need to revisit that album and the other albums in the Excalion back catalogue. 8/10
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