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A Hint Of Solace
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A Hint Of Solace |
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| Vanish are a power metal band from Germany formed in 2000, releasing four albums to date - 'Separated From Today' (2006), 'Come To Wither' (2014), 'The Insanity Abstract' (2017), and 'A Hint Of Solace' released in 2023... | ||||||
| ...featuring eight songs across forty seven heavy hitting minutes of infectious power metal with elements of thrash and progressive metal thrown in too. Not to mention the emotionally charged power ballad - more on that later! Cause right now, 'A Hint Of Solace' storms into life with the thundering 'Crowdpiercer', and an awesome groove that'd be welcomed into the world of groove thrash with the warmest of welcomes! 'Crowdpiercer' has the melodious intent of power metal, yet features the aggressive and in your face attitude of thrash. What a song and what a barnstormer of an opening - 'Walk With Me Through Fire' maintaining the albums incredible start! Albeit a tad more melodic and mid paced than 'Crowdpiercer', but nonetheless loaded with high intensity and phenomenal head bang ability. Vanish have just lit up the world of power metal with an opening brace that's as thrashy as power metal masters (and fellow countrymen) Rage. | ||||||
| Opening with a charming but short mellow intro, 'Act Live Resolve' takes on the mantle of a foot stomping anthem - shuddering the ground as it strides forth with head held high. The majestic swagger is fucking awesome, the pounding so heavy everything's shaking, with walls crumbling under the sheer force oozing from 'Act Live Resolve'. An incredible threesome becomes a foursome with the spectacular ballad 'The Crossing' - and a stunning atmosphere of serenity that is beyond sublime! The powerhouse vocals remain in bursts, but for the main part they're more soulful than heard anywhere else on the album. And for regular readers that know my view on ballads appearing on metal albums - basically they shouldn't - I'm gonna give Vanish a pass here, 'cause 'The Crossing' is much more than just a ballad! There's elements of the bold nature of anthemic metal and hymn-like majesty melded with a little symphonic metal that's surely gonna receive a standing ovation when performed live! So please Vanish - play 'The Crossing' live! | ||||||
| And with a sudden and emphatic upturn in pace and power, the band storm on with the heavy hitting 'Voyage In Suffering', sending the worldwide mosh pits into an absolute frenzy! 'Voyage In Suffering' is slowed down to a power driven stomp the like of which Judas Priest are grandmasters of - Vanish switching from all out high velocity to mid tempo thunder as the song continues on to a conclusion. With an infectious level registering new heights, 'A Hint Of Solace' marches on with the speedster 'Black Elation'. And a head bang ability that's just smashed through the fucking roof! The band are at full tilt here, roaring like a log fire at Christmas! And just as hot! Clocking in at over twelve minutes in length, 'As Though The Dead Are Here' is by far and away the longest song on offer - and one helluva showstopper to boot! Everything the band have in their arsenal is on show here - infectious power metal, galloping heavy metal, epic melodic metal, and a vocal performance that ranges from soulful to roaring rock to characteristically metal and just a hint of metalcore too! And as the album has played out, there have been spoken word passages littered throughout, all culminating in one final tension filled and highly chilling speech, the one and a half minute narrative 'A Hint Of Solace'. | ||||||
| Overall, an all out and very heavy power metal assault of the most thunderous kind, 'A Hint Of Solace' is a sensational album. | ||||||
| Review by Iron Mathew Collins | ||||||
| Reviewed for Metal-Roos | ||||||
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