If you compare this album to
Raise Hell's Holy Target you'd be in for a surprise and think it was from another band. Emerging in Sweden somewhere in 1995, named as
In Cold Blood,
Raise Hell released a demo and after their first full-length release they decided to change the band name.
Holy Target displayed a nearly perfect blend between thrash- and black-metal, and that particular album was very intense in its overall material. It had the massive energy from thrash and the spooky, unpleasant ‘’feels’’ from black-metal. After two more albums another album was released in 2006 and was called
City Of The Damned, with this album was almost the total opposite if compare it to their first album. Heavier riffing, slower drum patterns and razor sharp vocals are some of the new ingredients that this band has to deliver, and they've seem to have taken a new course in their music, not to mention it also sounds really good too. If this got you interesting I suggest that you continue to read.
Jimmy Fjällendahl - I think I used to call
Jimmy's vocals as "neutral but yet forceful vocals" when I listened to
Holy Target. But now his vocals are not even close to what I had heard before. When I listen to the new ones, I can just think about
Morbid Saint's singer. Sinister, devilish and piercing are my new words for
Jimmy's new vocals, and I feel these vocals were better than before so he will be given a:
4.5/5 (superb)
Jonas Nilsson - He is the new guitarist and his guitar playing has given the band a new and more refreshing sound. Fast, thick and catchy rhythm sections makes the songs very powerful and long lasting for the listener. Clean, flawless and melodic lead work also helps incorporate a whole new look, and the band has even included calm acoustics in their material as well. Guitar solos are also very good on this album, with many solos being medium paced and they are also quite melodic but there are also some faster and more chaotic solos as well. Great new guitarist in my ears and I will give this member a:
5/5 (awesome)
Niklas Sjöström - Original band member and he is also the bass player, I'm very proud of his overall performance this time. His bass is very clear and has a metallic sound; you can hear the bass very well compared to the previous albums. Unfortunately, there are no standout performances, perhaps some short filler notes here and there but it's in the rhythms where the bass belongs. But I think that standouts are not necessary when he has a great sound from his bass,
Niklas will be given a:
4.5/5 (superb)
Dennis Ekdahl - Drummer here but the fire and intensity seems to have changed a bit. In the beginning there was maniac fast black-metal drumming but now there is thrash based drumming, nothing wrong with that because I like this better. Most patterns are slower (but still quite fast) and heavier and most of all, the patterns have a bigger variety. Double bass kicking and heavier catchy beats are the new style this time and it works out great. I think that the songs feel more interesting that you can listen through a couple of times before you get tired of them. Overall performance will be a:
3.5/5 (great)
Thrash-metal appears to be the main dish in this album, and I can't notice many black-metal elements this time except for the vocals maybe but who cares? This album wants me to change my ratings regarding my previous experiences of this band, for I feel this album to be more enjoyable than their debut, simply because this album had more variety in basically every aspect: the guitars had catchier and heavier riffs, the bass was charged with a more metallic and clearer sound and the drumming was slower but there were heavier and catchier patterns here also.
Jimmy's new vocals gave the band a whole new look and sound too; a nearly remarkable transformation has been done here and it sounds great. I think that thrash-metal fans should check out this album, and if you like extreme-metal you should check out this album and if you happen to like the Swedish metal scene you should give this album a chance.
This album grew on me very fast, even faster than the first album I heard from them, here are my personal favourites songs,
City Of The Damned,
I,
Rising and
My Shadow. Because of basically everything in this album makes me to gives this a solid:
4.5/5 (
it is still very close to a 5/5)
