ALBUM REVIEW: Metal Gods – Dream Evil
A key aspect of heavy metal is the pomp and over the top joyous passion. There’s something about a wailing vocal delivery cascading over a foot stomping rhythm and catchy riff that just feels right, and when it can put a big ol’ grin on your face as well then all to the good. DREAM EVIL have been harnessing that approach since the late 1990s. With a pedigree featuring the likes of Gus G on guitar and highly regarded metal producer Fredrik Nordström, there’s been a wealth of musical talent running through the power metal veins of this band. While not necessarily the most prolific in terms of releases, DREAM EVIL have nevertheless been creative since their 2002 debut Dragonslayer. Now they return with the bombastically titled Metal Gods.
When a band chooses a name that conjures up images of DIO, there’s a big question on how they’re going to live up to that epithet. Likewise, when a band names an album that evokes JUDAS PRIEST, there’s a similar expectation. DREAM EVIL have doubled down when it comes to Metal Gods. Those already familiar with the sound of the five-piece will be well versed in their penchant for big, over the top metal. Cliched techniques are in abundance, from the air guitar-inducing guitar work to the soaring vocals that compel a singalong, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
From start to finish, Metal Gods is a heavy metal album in every sense of the genre, with exceedingly catchy riffs and vocal melodies on the likes of Chosen Force and Born In Hell. The rhythm section throughout anchors a solid, stomping groove that actively encourages freewheeling headbanging inducing a pleasant neck ache come the closing track. The bombast of metal is captured in every minute as DREAM EVIL squeeze as much as they can into the whole album. Masters Of Arms feels like a stadium gig contained in one track with expansive crew shouts and searing guitars that will have even the dourest faced metalhead grinning.
If you’re looking for something that engages and entertains then these ten tracks deliver in abundance. Some cheeky name checks on the title track, the rapid paced Night Stalker and the anthemic Y.A.N.A are paint by numbers power metal. While not stretching the cranial boundaries of the genre, the band certainly execute all the traditional stylistic elements to a high degree. Despite the apparent lack of experimentation, there’s nothing stagnant on the album, the music is always moving in a cohesive direction with a winning formula.
Metal Gods doesn’t break any new ground in terms of genre defining albums. What DREAM EVIL have delivered is a solid collection of heavy metal tracks that illuminate the sheer joy that this bracket can generate. It’s time to dust off the air guitar, tighten up the screws on the air drums and pretend there’s a massive fan blowing a gale through your hair. Metal Gods is exactly what one would expect from an album of this title from a band called DREAM EVIL. You may not return to these tracks time after time, but when you’re in need of a lift or just a little reminder of why metal is so much fun, then Metal Gods will be the album to turn to.
Rating: 7/10
Metal Gods is set for release on July 26th via Century Media Records.
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