FRENZY FIRE

    

METAL & ROCK REVIEWS

    
             
HOME            
REVIEWS            
ARTISTS            
UPCOMING            
LINKS            
             

     
     
     
         
         

Nyemba

      
         
         
         
     
             
Skinflint are a heavy metal band from Botswana formed in 2007 who released their debut album in 2009 with the follow-up a year later. A third album was released 2012 and the bands' fourth album was released in 2015.    
             
The album opens with the dark and moody 'Veya', a mid tempo stomp with heavy guitars and a vocal performance that is a blend of Tom g Warrior (Celtic Frost) and Martin Walkyier (Sabbat). This vocal style adds to the atmospheric of the song, with the guitar solos sounding like they belong in the eighties metal scene. And, talking of the eighties, 'The Pits Of Wydah' rumbles along bearing a passing resemblance to some of the mid tempo stomps that British legends Iron Maiden are famed for. A widdly intro, a chugging rhythm and a catchy, melodic mid section. 'Okove' turns on the brutality with the guitars chopping and a menacing vocal performance. There are some great melodic moments too.    
             
'Abiku', like most of the songs on the album opens with a short bass guitar intro, yet when 'Abiku' starts proper the rhythm is tinged with a blues influence. Unfortunately the vocals do not alter to match the musical style. The vocals are not quite growly, more snarly with a mild touch of venom. With more blues influenced widdling 'The Wizard And His Hound' chugs along at a slow foot stomping pace and it is around now that I began to get frustrated that the album hadn't yet "come alive". All's well and good with a slow to mid tempo pace, menacing and moody with a dark vocal style, but for a band that is "heavy metal" where is the pace, the power, the up tempo high energy songs? Not 'Sinkinda' which follows a similar path to all the previous songs, yet manages to produce the best guitar solo on the album. Closing the album is 'Muti' which opens with something Iron Maiden would do, a slow atmospheric build up into a majestic epic...except there is no majestic epic here. Just another mid tempo stomp with great guitar work. The album is okay for fans of the mid tempo style heavy metal but for those that prefer the faster paced "foot on the monitor" style, be best to give this one a miss.    
             
Overall, slow to mid tempo songs with some very good guitar work and a snarly vocal style, but lacks any kind of "get up and go" pace or power.    
             
             
Review by Iron Mathew Collins    
             
Reviewed for Metal Gods TV    
             
             
Top