(CD, IceWarrior Records, 2011)
AXENSTAR is a Power Metal band from Sweden. Their new album is entitled “Aftermath” and it is a very energetic blast of fresh air. I have only one problem with the entire album; pick scrapes, other than that I cannot think of anything that is less than awesome. There are a lot of things going on in “Aftermath”, for one, the album has the wall of sound technique that I am so fond of. The wall of sound is a constant bombardment of music that doesn’t let up. There are no gaps of silence between chords or after drum beats at anytime. The drumming is up tempo throughout most of the album and has a nice fat thump to it. This isn’t a thin tinny sounding beat that sounds wimpy or uninspired. I only wish the guitar had better transition from chord to chord without the squeak of the pick scrapes.
One would think something as obvious as that would be caught by the engineer and fixed before mastering the album. I cannot imagine anyone thinking it is a positive addition to the music. I have always considered that a lack of professionalism or just plain lazy, but I am open to the possibility that some look upon it as a positive. If you do, then don’t let me rain on your parade.
There are a ton of melodies here. It is not a constant barrage noise. Even though the sound never wavers, the sound itself has meaning and has its place and fits with the entire theme of the record, meaning all the sound has a purpose. This album is meant to be a full frontal assault on the senses by pure Power Metal and that is exactly what it is. The song, “Signs of a Lie” is a very fast thrashing song filled with killer drumming, guitar riffs and excellent vocals. When Power Metal is done right it is the best genre in all of music, IMO.
The title track has some great usage of keyboards and is also fast as lightning. I have always been a big fan of AXENSTAR and I believe they are even better after having added two new members in the form of Adam Lindberg (drums) and Jens Klovegard (guitars). It’s always good to see that when a band has multiple lineup changes that they are able to not only overcome it but to thrive as well. AXENSTAR are stronger than ever. The insertion of the new blood has helped the band.
I can’t see any reason to not recommend this album. It is strong in all areas. Other than the pick scraping the guitars are rock solid and the drums are bombastic and the bass blends in so well it almost disappears. I enjoy a good bass line, and I also enjoy a bass line that disappears to the point where you know it’s there providing the backbone which is its main purpose, but it just isn’t very noticeable. I like the flow and the way it blends in effortlessly. Fans of Power Metal often have to settle for things that are either just OK or good to very good, but here you get something that is absolutely great. If you are a fan of the genre, go ahead and pick this one up. AXENSTAR has comeback with a vengeance.
9/10
Links:
www.Axenstar.Com
www.MySpace.com/AxenstarMetal
Tracklist:
01. Dogs of War
02. The Escape
03. Tears of the Sun
04. Agony
05. Aftermath
06. A New Breed
07. Dead Kingdom
08. Until Your Dying Breath
09. Signs of a Lie
10. Forever the Pain
11. Bad Blood (bonus)
Lineup:
Magnus Winterwild - Vocals & Bass
Joakim Jonsson - Guitars
Adam Lindberg - Drums
Jens Klovegard - Guitars