Review Summary: The missing link between Night of the Stormrider and Burnt Offerings or something more?
The ‘90s, and especially the middle part of the decade, were a very turbulent time for heavy metal. The thrash scene that flourished during the ‘80s was at a steady decline and bands like Metallica, Slayer and Megadeth struggled to find a new musical direction leading to experiments such as
Load,
Diabolus in Musica and
Cryptic Writings. Traditional heavy metal was at no better place either; Iron Maiden without Bruce Dickinson had lost a lot of longtime fans because of
The X Factor and Judas Priest in a similar manner were struggling to survive without Rob Halford. However, at the same time, the underground movement (gothic, black, death, etc.) was gaining momentum resulting in some incredible music.
Now if you’re wondering why I’m rambling on about the ‘90s on a new release review, it’s because some of the best power metal was released during that decade. Combining equal amounts of melody and aggression, the scene was at its absolute peak. It won’t be long until you notice that Greek outfit Desert Near the End’s sound is deeply rooted on that era.
The band’s music can be characterized as a mix between power and thrash metal highly reminiscent of early Iced Earth (just check the intro of “Angel of the Deep). In fact,
Hunt for the Sun could have easily been released somewhere in 1993-94 between
Night of the Stormrider and
Burnt Offerings. However, it would be an injustice to label Desert Near the End’s sophomore effort simply as an Iced Earth derivative as there as a few Blind Guardian influences and parts that the guitar sounds like Machine Head. However, what makes
Hunt for the Sun a truly enjoyable listen, is its no frills heavy metal approach, the strong songwriting, the sense of epicness and the pure energy that the band conveys through each track. Fans of ‘90s power metal are going to have a blast while listening to “Road to Nowhere”, or “Morning Star” while almost every track contains memorable riffs. In addition, the vocalist’s performance really adds up to the album’s intensity and aggression.
On the other hand, the album tends to become somewhat linear and samey as it progresses as most tracks follow the same pattern. What’s more, the striking similarity to early Iced Earth and the singer’s voice to that of Matt Barlow might alienate some since the same formula has been used in the past with better results.
All things considered,
Hunt for the Sun is a great offering by fans for fans. It’s honest, powerful, energetic and very well performed. In a time where a number of bands pay homage to the ‘70s and ‘80s, Desert Near the End pay tribute to the ‘90s and manage to sound refreshing at the same time.
