ARTILLERY - PENALTY BY PERCEPTION
THE MAGIC IS NOT GONE.
This is thrash metal legends Artillery's eight studio album and their second since signing up to the equally legendary Metal Blade Records. It's ls also the second Artillery-album with vocalist Michael Bastholm Dahl and drummer Josua Madsen in the lineup. With Michael Bastholm Dahl the band has taken a turn for a more melodic sound, Don't get me wrong Michael Bastholm Dahl is an excellent singer and his voice would fit nicely in any ambitious Power Metal band, so don't expect them to sound like Kreator or Exodus or something.
The production that is a bit dry and modern sounding, it's no way near terrible, but it's just a little off. So now I can spend the rest of this review praising Artillery's Penalty by Perception because it packs some real punches.
Artillery plays fast and ripping thrash with power metal influences that brings my mind to the heyday of bands such as Forbidden, Heathen and Testament. The Stützer bros (Morten and Michael) might very well be the best guitar duo in thrash right now, and speaking of iconic guitar duos Hank Shermann and Michael Denner of Mercyful Fate fame appears on the track Cosmic Brain.
After thirty years together it comes as no shock that they had some time to perfect things. They bring ripping riffs, speedy leads but also a ton of melodies that brings my mind back to the bands magnum opus 'By Inheritance' from 1990.
What about the songs then?
Well, Defiance of Conformity kicks off the album with vocal melodies that reminds me a bit of Anthrax - A Skeleton in the closet. The following song Live by the Scythe is a strong contender for the best song on the album, and the band recorded a music video for that track.
Artillery also dares to use a piano for the intro to the track When the Magic is Gone, which reminds me a bit of your typical Judas Priest's ballad from the seventies but with a more modern touch.
Overall Penalty by Perception is a strong album with no fillers, the albums lowest levels are higher than most bands peak so it's an album you can spin from the first second to the last without really skipping anything.
I hope Artillery finally will get the recognition they deserve now after thirty years in the business. Because they are amongst a small group of legacy bands that actually delivers anything interesting these days.
Rating:
| INFO |
Label: Metal Blade Year: 2016 Country: Denmark Duration: 53:40 Tracks: 11 Genre: Power/Thrash Reviewer: Ruthless Rating: 4/5 | ||
| TRACKS | LINEUP | |
| Michael Bastholm Dahl - Vocals Michael Stützer - Guitars Morten Stützer - Guitars Peter Thorslund - Bass Josua Madsen - Drums |
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