Review Summary: In their most critical release up to date, Ranger justify all the recent praise and assure us that they’re here to stay.
There’s something magical about the heavy metal scene of the ‘80s. It’s not just the quality of music that was in abundance, the subgenres that were developed or the insane runs of albums that segmented legacies. Equally to those, it was about the intangibles and the image; the brotherhood and the feeling of belonging, the air guitar, the leather vests and tight jeans, the lame hairstyles, the band patches and Dio’s devil horns. Consequently, it’s natural that a lot of bands today are making a conscious effort to relive that scene. Whether or not their efforts will be successful remains to be seen but regardless we are fortunate enough to enjoy some great heavy metal albums along the way.
Ranger, after having released
Knights of Darkness in 2013, have been one of the most hyped bands of the aforementioned scene and for a good reason. One can place their lone EP among the ‘80s speed metal finest and still hold its own. Not many modern bands can make such a claim; Ranger, Evil Invaders, Enforcer and Stallion are some of the very few select. Therefore, it’s no wonder that
Where Evil Dwells has been highly anticipated among speed metal fans. Fortunately, it doesn’t disappoint as it continues where
Knights of Darkness left us with very few variations in order to support the case of an improving band.
Ranger’s debut LP can be placed somewhere among Agent Steel, early Slayer and Metallica, Overkill (“Dead Zone”) with a flavor of Di’Anno-Iron Maiden and some Judas Priest. The singer’s voice is a combination of Mustaine’s snarls (check “Phantom Soldier”), King Diamond and Halford’s high notes and some of Araya’s lows. Bear in mind though that the vocalist’s over the top approach and the fact that his voice is so high in the mix might not strike well with a few listeners. However, the absolute highlight of the album is the guitar work along with the solid songwriting. You can find catchy memorable riffs, fiery solos and some high quality twin-guitar work. In addition coming to the “few variations” statement mentioned before,
Where Evil Dwells sounds darker than
Knights of Darkness (especially on “Black Circle (S.Y.L.S.)”) and includes an epic! Clocking at 10 minutes, “Where Evil Dwells” is the most ambitious song in Ranger’s young career. Comprising mainly of galloping speedy guitar playing and a few mid tempo parts, the title track is a very representative sample of the album. Of course, the warm analog sound helps the listener get in the mood of the album or even travel back in time in the era that Ranger love so much.
In a nutshell, those of you who enjoy ferocious guitar playing and riffing, relentless drumming, over the top vocals and an old-school approach will find
Where Evil Dwells a very rewarding listen. Ranger have done a very good job of justifying all the recent praise by giving to their fans exactly what they expected of them and then some.
