CRIMINAL - review added 3rd February 2009
Album Review: White Hell (2009)
For fans of: thrash metal... and Chilean ferocity
A mixture of thrash, metalcore and good ol' heavy metal, White Hell sees the half British/half Chilean band Criminal return for their 6th studio album. Their sound is akin to a heavier, more accessible version of old Sepultura combined with hints of Chimaira and, er, Saxon.
The duelling guitar sound is big and domineering. If it was your mum you'd do as you were told or lose a limb. Not sure what the axe/amp combo is, but it sounds wonderful and powerfully scary all at the same time. Plenty of soaring solos appear throughout the album and add an immeasurable air of quality to proceedings.
The drums rattle along at a fair old rate of knots and the vocals, whilst unexceptional, fit with the groove pretty well. Anton Reisenegger sounds, in places, uncannily like Tomas Lindberg from At The Gates. In others he sounds like a p*ssed roadie messing about after a gig.
White Hell is never going to set the world alight. There are few stand out moments and little to set the release apart. However, the songs are heavy, melodic and surprisingly musical. The heaviness rarely ventures into the realms of deafening and pointless noise - this isn't music you'll find on an easy listening radio station - but you can still head bang and sing along if you so desire. This is metal for leather-clad warriors with long hair and demon-horned hands in the air.
'Incubus' is arguably the heaviest and best song on the album. With a real medium-paced metal chug of a riff and an abundance of double kick drums, the song is just awesome. Played live it would, I suspect, kill you until you died.
White Hell is an agreeable album that is neither amazing nor cr*p. The guitars and rhythm are great, the singing brings up the rear. Check it out, you might just like it!
Check out... The middle of 'The Infidel' sounds like the awesome part from Saxon's song 'Justice'. It's such a brilliant riff, we'll forgive Criminal just this once.
Track List:
1. 21st Century Paranoia
2. Crime And Punishment
3. Incubus
4. Black Light
5. The Deluge
6. Strange Ways
7. Mobrule
8. The Infidel
9. Invasion
10. Eyes Of Temptation
11. Bastardom
12. Sons Of Cain
Label: Massacre Records
Band websites: Criminal , MySpace
