ALBUM REVIEW: Love Kills! – Induction
Power metal is one of the few sub-genres in alternative music which is not necessarily serious. This sub-genre of metal music is normally driven by fantasy and the imagination of the musicians involved. There are bands that truly embrace this, and INDUCTION are no different. On their latest album, Love Kills!, the band combine fantasy and romance to create a conceptual album which is remarkable at times, but is also repetitive, making for an inconsistent listening experience with some fantastic songs scattered throughout.
The album opens with Virtual Insanity, and right off the bat, the use of the constant electronic synths get introduced before the main riff kicks in. The first verse is packed with vocal energy before the chorus which has a very unusual melody. The second verse and the bridge before the solo are both the best parts of this opener. The guitar solo is phenomenal and really elevates the song due to the lacklustre chorus, which returns for the final time with a key change, and this final hook is much more satisfying to listen to than the original one, which is what every key change should aspire to sound like, making for an energetic yet bizarre sounding first song.
Dark Temptation has a more familiar power metal sound, and as a result, every aspect of this track is a standout on this record. The main riff is extremely memorable, and the chorus is irresistibly catchy. The verses fit the vibe of the track perfectly, and whilst they are more stripped back as opposed to the first couple of songs, the lower registered vocal melodies fit the vibe of this song much better. The guitar solo is short yet technical, and during the final chorus, some more guitar improvisation is notable adding even more to the already epic hook.
The second half of Love Kills! kicks off with Beyond Horizons, a song that stands out as it combines Latin with English, and has a very eerie, gloomy vibe throughout it. After the drum fill that kicks it off, that leads into a progressive main riff. The first verse is stripped back vocally until the bridge, which is where the vocals truly shine. The second verse includes more intricate guitar playing which segues into the chorus. The guitar solo here is one of the longest on the album, and it has a rhythmic change in the middle. This helps elevate this track as it showcases the musicality of each band member. This ultimately leads to the typical third hook which ends the song.
The Veil Of Affection is the best song on this album. It is folky, groovy and packed with intricate musicality. Rhythmically this is another extremely intricate track which the band pull of flawlessly. This is notable in the verses, before the rock and roll energy of the chorus kicks in. The guitars here shine once more, especially in the lead up to the second hook, which includes some improvisation over the last few lines sung in that second verse. The bridge kicks off with a thumping rhythm section before the solo arrives. The solo itself is short yet executed extremely well and is very dynamic before the final chorus arrives to steal the show one last time, making room for the main riff to kick in once more.
Overall, this album is very inconsistent. The riffs throughout the album are quite similar which is perhaps what INDUCTION were aiming to achieve with the conceptual approach to this record, however the choruses are very hit or miss. The ones on tracks such as Dark Temptation steal the show, but these are scattered throughout the record, and the result is much more rewarding when a hook is satisfying throughout these 10 songs. Another highlight is how good the band are on a technical level, some of the drum parts and guitar solos are truly sensational, especially with the prog inspirations seeping through at times.
With all that being said, it is clear that INDUCTION have a ton of potential and ideas but these need to be thoroughly thought out and developed further before they get written, and had they have done that, this record would have been that much better, even though some of the songs are great. These good songs are worth the wait and time, but time will also be able to tell just how well these songs will age in an era where catchy choruses have never been more crucial in power metal.
Rating: 6/10
Love Kills! is set for release on February 6th via Reigning Phoenix Music.
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