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Mixing the energy and fury of Killing Joke and New Model Army "Gatecrusher" explodes from the speakers of my stereo. There are also elements of Metallica-style riffing, with a prog-rock feeling of the fact that this song could take you anywhere. Singer Ricky has a raspy tone of voice, but you can't doubt his – or the band's - sincerity. Listening to this song is like drinking too much coffee, you feel edgy and wired. With no hanging around we plunge into "Wings of the Fallen" which has an excellent use of quiet/loud dynamics. Pummeling drums drive the song forward, but the superlative use of keyboards keep the focus on the song. There's creative riffin' overload during the instrumental break, but it adds to the tension rather than just demonstrating virtuosity.
Funky bass leads us into "Chambers", which is a tension-filled metal romp. These aren't waters I usually swim in, but Force Majeure have enough depth to hold my attention. The only disappointment is that after five and a half minutes the band don't seem to know where to take the song, and we enter a slow fade. You would need to be in the right sort of mood to enjoy a song like "Mr Daydream" but if you need an injection of energy turn to Force Majeure rather than a can of Red Bull. This song will have you moshing down the street. Seemingly having a mistaken the studio for a live arena, singer Ricky implores us to sing along. At least he doesn't try to get the listener to do a Mexican Wave. There's an Iron Maiden mood to "I Hear Voices". Four minutes in things go briefly Gothic Metal with the addition of female vocals from the enigmatically titled '–N-'. Things threaten to go a bit Meat Loaf, but luckily the band come back from the brink. "Winter's Tale" is a power ballad, allowing Ricky to show he really can sing. It would be interesting to see the audience reaction as it's quite a change in style from what has gone before. After a couple of minutes the gig goers are bound to have their mobile phones aloft. Some prog-rock riffing keeps us on the edge of our seats. The six minute running time means we wander dangerously close to "November Rain" territory, especially during the extended piano coda. Any thoughts of Elton John are blown away by the shotgun delivery intensity of "Endure The Cold". There's a galloping rhythm to "Lightbringer Returns", which climaxes in a middle eight full of mystical sounds. This Middle Eastern influence gives the band another dimension. "Secret Moments" is full of life, but offers little different from what has gone before. Matters are brought to a close by "Dead Times Awaken", which despite its title has a celebratory feel. It's essentially a nostalgic song as Ricky sings: "Once again my mind drifts away/Back to the days of freedom/All the scenes of my life pass before my eyes." I take the sentiment to mean that thinking about the past doesn't necessarily need to be connected with regret. The past defines who we are – and when our current self is threatened the past can help remind us who we are. |
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