PRAYING MANTIS - review added 9th February 2011
EP Review: Metalmorphosis (2011)
For fans of: Hard Rock... and dangerous insects
UK hard rock act Praying Mantis - nowadays Mike Freeland on vocals, Tino Troy and Andy Burgess on guitars, Chris Troy on bass, and Benjy Reid on drums - started more than 30 years back. This "Metalmorphosis" EP marks three decades since the band's debut LP, and is a rerecording of five of their early songs.
I haven't knowingly heard any of these tracks before, and have deliberately avoided going looking for them as these rehashes tend to never be quite as good as the original. However, it has to be said that the musicianship and vocals sound good - and I can imagine they are very faithful to the originals.
The production is sparsely done - very atmospheric and retro - which may have been done intentionally to keep that early 1980s feel. It's not my thing, and I'd have preferred Praying Mantis to bring the songs up to date with a degree of separation from the originals.
'Children of The Earth' is an epic track that combines that Rainbow 'Catch The Rainbow' and Deep Purple 'Child In TIme' vibe with a touch more oomph. The eponymous 'Praying Mantis' is a pleasant enough song, but isn't as catchy as it could have been. 'Lovers to the Grave' is another Rainbow/Purple style effort with a dreamy feel. 'Panic in the Streets' rocks and speeds it up. Final track 'Captured City' is another rockier one and works well.
In Summation:
The songs are good, but the production will be a matter of taste. Pretend this is a 30 year old release and it's brilliant. Realise it's brand new...and you kind of wonder why it sounds 30 years old. Still, good songs and good performances should not be knocked.
Entertainment/Enjoyment:
Musicianship:
Vocals:
Song Writing:
Production:
Overall (Not An Average Of The Above):
Check out... The performances.
Track List:
01. Children of The Earth
02. Praying Mantis
03. Lovers to the Grave
04. Panic in the Streets
05. Captured City
Artist's website(s): Praying Mantis | MySpace | Facebook
