Tuesday, February 7, 2017

CD Review: EVIL FORCE Banging on the Pentagram (Witches Brew) by Simon Brown

EVIL FORCE
Witches Brew
Released via Witches Brew Records, this offering from Evil Force brings classic metal to the fore. Played in the style of thrash/power, this reasonably produced (although slightly muffled) release offers up metal anthems guaranteed to get toes tapping and necks snapping. I do like the slight reverb/echo placed on the vocals as this adds a new dimension few bands are willing to experiment with. The bass lines could however be slightly clearer in the mix. As expected, the attention to dual guitar solos are skillfully crafted. “Command of Pain” is the best of the eight tracks on this release as it displays the best of what the band offer up. Strangely, the bass on this track appears more pronounced although the guitars are still slightly muffled. The song lengths should definitely please fans as most are around the four minute plus mark which allow the listener time to engage with the material. The vocals on “Southern Armageddon” are a standout moment in they allow the band to differentiate themselves from other bands in the speed metal genre. As with other bands in this genre, the songs can tend to blur into one another which is a shame. The band is talented but are let down by a questionable guitar mix which the vocals alone cannot save. An instrumental to close out the release “Offering to Horus” is a nice touch and I look forward to hearing more from this band in the future. -Simon Brown

Track list:
1. Banging On The Pentagram
2. Command Of Pain
3. Southern Armageddon
4. Devastation Time
5. Toxic Warfare
6. Nocturnal Witchery
7. Under Oracle's Design
8. Offering To Horus (Instrumental)

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