ALBUM REVIEW: Hands of Fate – Savage Messiah

October 25, 2017 Alan Faulkner

Three years on from the release of The Fateful Dark, SAVAGE MESSIAH have been back in the recording studio and are set for the launch of their fourth full length album Hands of Fate. Prior to the new record coming out, Sam S Junior has joined the fray as the band’s new guitarist, with the rest of the line-up unchanged.

Kicking off the new album is the title track, Hands of Fate. It begins relatively slow, with the bass being the first instrument you hear, being followed relatively quickly by the guitar and drums to help increase the tempo and build up. It doesn’t take too long to kick in properly though, with the guitar taking centre stage and a killer riff setting the rhythm of the track. There seems to be a great emphasis on the bass throughout the track, which provides the solo towards the end and is much more relaxing than a guitar solo.

Despite the name SAVAGE MESSIAH, the overall sound throughout Hands of Fate is surprisingly tamer. That doesn’t detract from the quality though, as there are still plenty of heavy metal elements across all 10 songs, but it certainly isn’t as heavy as the name would suggest, or compared to other similar bands. However, there are some tracks which have more of a thrash element though compared to others; for example Blood Red Road. The intro for this track is fast and maintains that momentum throughout, with crushing riffs and a fiercer vocal style helping to add to the thrash side of the band. The guitar solo is also relatively long and notches the pace up another level, giving a more classic heavy metal sound to the track. Another track which breaks the mould from the rest of the album is Eat Your Heart Out, which has pretty much the same elements as the previously mentioned Blood Red Road.

SAVAGE MESSIAH have a growing reputation in the modern rock and metal scene, and it is clear from listening to this record why. It may only be their fourth studio album, but unlike some bands who tend to experiment with their sound after a couple of records and change, this has not been the case for SAVAGE MESSIAH. They have established their own sound from their debut record Insurrection Rising and have maintained that same level of quality throughout.

What makes Hands of Fate exceptional is that there isn’t any filler tracks whatsoever; each one that has been recorded has its own little distinct sound, and they’re all roughly the same length. It is also likely that if the band ever decided to do it, the entire album could be played live in its entirety and it would make for an excellent show.

With the end of the year fast approaching, Hands of Fate has certainly got the potential to be one of the top 20 albums of the calendar year, possibly reaching the top 10 list too. SAVAGE MESSIAH‘s sound is solid, all the elements work individually and when it’s all put together, the result is fantastic.

Rating: 9/10