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Solitary Men

    
       
       
       
     
             
Refuge are a heavy/power metal band from Germany, formed in 2014 by Rage vocalist and bassist Peter 'Peavy' Wagner and former Rage band members (guitarist) Manni Schmidt and (drummer) Christos Efthimiadis. The bands debut album 'Solitary Men' was released in 2018, and while yes it is the bands debut album, it is not the debut album by this three piece. Between 1988 and 1994, Peavy, Manni and Christos released five Rage albums, cementing the bands place in the history of the German power metal scene. After 1994, the three musicians moved on to work in different bands and all contact between them was lost...until 2014 when the three met up and decided to play a secret gig under the moniker Tres Hombres. Playing songs from their era together as Rage, the gig was such a success they decided to continue on as a proper band and Refuge was born. The band played various shows and festivals over the next couple of years, and in 2016 began writing songs for an album. 'Solitary Men' was released in 2018 and is the bands debut album, by a line-up that last released an album nearly twenty five years ago!    
             
Thrash tinged power metal with a huge dose of the melodic, is what Rage built their reputation on, with this former line-up, under the name Refuge, following a similar path. Ten songs across a blistering fifty minutes, Refuge definitely deliver the goods. 'Summer's Winter' gets the album off to a flying start, powering on at full tilt, head bangingly infectious and an instant like. Rampant and raucous with a sing a long-able chorus, 'Summer's Winter' is a belter of an opening. Melodic power metal doesn't get much better than 'The Man In The Ivory Tower', a "foot on the monitor" style romp of the best galloping metal this side of, err, Rage! The distinctive throaty rasp of Peavy is sounding as good as always, and very quickly you'll find yourself singing along to the chorus, all together now "Lonely is the world behind my mask, I'm the man in the ivory tower, Lonely when you're living in the past, I'm the man in the ivory tower". Absolutely awesome stuff...stuff that just gets better with the much heavier romp 'Bleeding From Inside'. Pounding and pummelling, 'Bleeding From Inside' is a pulsating power metal gem, with a more menacing, gruffer rasp of a vocal performance by Peavy.    
             
Onto song number four and I haven't stopped smiling, head banging or stamping my feet, such is the infectiousness of this album. And in the mighty shape of 'From The Ashes', my actions are in no danger of ending. 'From The Ashes' is fast paced yet melodic, and has one of the best guitar solos the album has to offer. With its mellow opening deceiving the listener into thinking the power metal bombast had subsided, 'Living On The Edge' burns slowly towards a crescendo, launching forth with aggression and attitude. A menacing vocal performance adds punch to the already aggressive nature, 'Living On The Edge' is a foot stomper of the tallest order. Galloping pace returns with the catchy 'We Owe A Life To Death', powering on at full tilt, with yet another superb sing a long style chorus, come join me and sing it aloud, "I know that we owe a life to death, But I always have regrets, You know there's an end for we all have, 'Cause we owe a life to death". Aw man, I am loving this album. For over thirty years, Rage have demonstrated an exceptional knack for delivering infectious and catchy thrash inspired power metal, keeping them at the forefront of the power metal genre, with Peavy the main song writer and lyricist. And while the new album from Refuge isn't gonna re-write the genre, this new band, formed by a former Rage line-up, 'Soliatry Men' is gonna stand tall and proud...fantastic stuff from three guys, all in their fifties, showing much younger bands how it's done.    
             
'Mind Over Matter' is the most melodic power metal song on offer, and is a mid tempo, highly energetic romp, more of a stroll than a stride, and does actually give the listener a short breather before the album launches into a double barrage of the best power metal that you're likely to hear all year. With its unbelievable sound, 'Let Me Go' has a party anthem feel about it, a vibe of three guys just having fun, with no pressure to prove themselves. Yes it may sound just like a jam session, but for fucks sake, if you're this good to write songs with this kinda feel, then just let it go... By far and away the best song on the album is the speed metal tinged 'Hell Freeze Over'. Nodding its head in the direction of the late eighties when this line-up was leading the way in the burgeoning power metal scene, 'Hell Freeze Over' gallops fast and hard. Head banging becomes more vigorous, blood begins to pump harder, pulse rate increases and the adrenalin rush is off the scale. But yet again Peavy delivers the unique characteristic that makes his music so bloody addictive, that all important sing a long style chorus, "Hell freeze over, If we will surrender now, Let hell freeze over, If we give it up, oh no!". Peavy, you are a song writing genius. All good things come to an end, with the tenth and final song a departure from everything that has gone before. 'Waterfalls' is a slow burner, opening all mellow and soulful, wandering on its way, getting heavier as it builds towards a crushing crescendo, exploding into life and thundering on. An amazing end to an amazing album.    
             
Overall, a superb album of fast paced and melodic power metal, this will have you head banging and singing along from start to finish.    
             
             
Review by Iron Mathew Collins    
             
Reviewed for Metal Gods TV    
             
             
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