LOCH VOSTOK - review added 13th July 2009
Album Review: Reveal No Secrets (2009)
For fans of: Progressive Death Metal... and Bruce Dickinson going all evil
Reveal No Secrets is the 3rd album for Swedish progressive death metal outfit Loch Vostok. Named after an underground lake in Antarctica, and formed from the remnants of Mayadome in 2001, Loch Vostok is Teddy Möller (vocals and guitars),
Niklas Kupper (guitars),
Tomas "Tym" Jonsson (bass),
Fredrik Klingwall (keyboards) and Alvaro "Alvis" Svanerö (drums). Teddy was actually the drummer in Mayadome, but here he changes disciplines.
Following on from 2006's amusingly titled Destruction Time Again!, Reveal No Secrets is an interesting combination of sounds. Vocally the album is a mixing pot of death metal howls and Bruce Dickinson influenced grumbles. Teddy Möller's clean vocals are rather good, although his demonic snorting is perhaps less successful.
The musical side is a combination of straight ahead metal and proggy dalliances. The music, given the forceful nature of the vocals, is surprisingly accessible. It's a lot less heavy than you'd imagine and definitely more Mötley Crüe than Morbid Angel, although the singing flips that comparison on it's head.
The start of the first track 'Loss of Liberty' boasts an amazing guitar/drum combo which lifts your hopes sky high. Have to say it's a bit of a letdown when the vocals start. Teddy's death groans don't suit the style of the track and only serve to make it a deflating moment. Still, by the time the chorus comes around he has resorted to his normal singing voice and matters take a turn for the better. It ends up being a good song that could have been a lot better.
'Energy Taboo' is a track with plenty of understated progressive elements and some well choreographed guitar riffs. The slow-sweetness of the chorus contrasts particularly well with the speedier verses. 'Dig Deeper' is, technically speaking, not a brilliant effort but it has a certain something that makes you want to hear it again and again. 'Uncompassion' on the other hand is catchy for all the right reasons. The melodious guitars overlaying beating rhythms and battlefield-funk are novel and cool. Even the metal-mumbles work well on this track.
The cunningly titled 'Raiders of the Lost Heart' is akin to Deicide Vs. Threshold. The progressive death elements are awesome and the more standard rock elements work well too. Best song on the album? Quite possibly. 'What Once Was' is an epic number with a hint of the theatrical about it. Teddy Möller's vocals are top notch and the chorus is almost sing along. 'Breakthru' closes the album on a positive note. It isn't a magically stunning song but the tinkling keyboards and electro effects add a welcomed extra dimension.
All the ingredients are there for this to be a great record, but somehow it doesn't quite manage it. The proggy ingredients, especially those mated to the full-house death metal sound, are highly agreeable. Some of the vocals are impressive and the musicianship is way above average.
It's the compositions however that don't give the players full chance to shine. I like Reveal No Secrets, but overall it's a well performed, averagely written release. I'd like to see Loch Vostok become more focused on producing an out and out progressive death metal album. This one is something of a mongrel. What they need is a pedigree.
Check out... 'Raiders of the Lost Heart'. Fabulously powerful track.
Track List:
1. Loss of Liberty
2. Energy Taboo
3. Dig Deeper
4. Uncompassion
5. Thirty Years
6. Raiders of the Lost Heart
7. Blindfolds Off
8. What Once Was
9. Breakthru
Label: Silverwolf Productions
Artist's website(s): Loch Vostok , MySpace
