ALBUM REVIEW: Sinbad – Coronary
From the opening notes of their debut album Sinbad, it’s clear that CORONARY are here to pay homage to the days of heavy metal passed. Sinbad brims with authentic tributes to the genre’s heyday, channelling a mix of SAXON, ACCEPT and AC/DC through its stomping riffs and singalong choruses. However, while CORONARY’s passion for their idols shines through, the result is a record of few surprises.
To be clear, Sinbad is not a bad album by any stretch of the imagination. The material here is well crafted, with a number of tracks worthy of sparring with classic metal anthems. The Hammer, a victorious tribute to the God of Thunder, plays out like a heavier version of RAINBOW, it’s slithering muted verse riff building in to an anthemic chant of a chorus. Burnout on the other hand brags memorable call and response vocals before erupting with a beautifully melodious guitar solo. Even the obligatory ballad, I Can Feel This Love, turns out to be one of the high points. Slowing the pace down doesn’t see CORONARY let up on the heaviness, with dirge-y guitar lines and muted chords providing an aggressive counterpoint to the more heartfelt tune.
Although lacking in innovation, CORONARY have clearly mastered their classic metal chops and the material on Sinbad feels true to the genre’s roots. The band themselves are no slouches performance-wise either; the raspy vocals of Olli Kärki strike a delicate balance of melodic and biting, equal parts Biff Byford and Udo Dirkschneider; the fiery guitar work of both Aku Kytölä and Jukka Holm provides plenty of memorable riffs and leads; and the rhythm section of Jarkko Aaltonen (best known as KORPIKLAANI’s bassist) and Pate Vuorio ensures that Sinbad maintains a great sense of momentum throughout its runtime. These performances are made all the better by a healthy production sheen that helps set CORONARY apart from the albums of yesteryear. In contrast to the fiercely retro material, Sinbad has a sonically modern shine to it – something that is especially notable when comparing a handful of tracks to their cruder incarnations from CORONARY’s 2018 demo.
For all these excellent ingredients, it’s a shame then that CORONARY’s dedication to the old school often crosses the line from nostalgic to well-worn. There are a handful of songs that lack impact simply because they’ve been heard in similar forms countless times over the last four decades. Moreover, with such a heavy reliance on genre tropes, it’s no surprise that the lyrical content veers towards being distractingly cheesy. Reflector repeatedly poses the question of whether we’re ready to rock or roll, Bullet Train is a confused metaphor about sex, Fight St. 666 is a paint-by-numbers ode to fighting and Mestengo is about love lost and cars. While it’s a testament to the strength of the songs themselves that their ridiculous lyrics don’t take away too much from enjoyment of the music, it adds to the sense that there is little fresh to get stuck in to on Sinbad.
CORONARY’s debut is far from a ground-breaking album, nor is it trying to be. As a result, a listener’s mileage with it will ultimately depend on what they’re looking for. There’s nothing wrong with a tribute to the past and Sinbad is a worthy one indeed, exuding energy and passion throughout. However, with the solid talent on display, a more personal stamp from CORONARY would help make the record truly excel. Until then, Sinbad provides a strong if derivative foundation to build upon.
Rating: 7/10
Sinbad is out now via Cruz Del Sur Music.
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