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The End Of Time

    
       
       
       
     
             
Wasteland Clan are a heavy metal band from Germany, releasing their debut album 'The End Of Time' in 2023.    
             
Defined as post-apocalyptic metal, "it's finally time for the demoness Lilith Fox, Mashi J (aka the Messiah), and his three prophets Rayzon, Zach Volcanic and Smoky 616 to heed their destiny, to carry out salvation to the world and to raise their numbers! All that is left after the apocalypse is combined in this album - hate and fear but also hope, brutal as well as earthshaking drums and enchanting choirs, stories of death as well as guidance for the lost and unbelieving. The true ten commandments will take the form of song - listen to them carefully, and receive the Messiah's message, Lilith's visions, and the prophet's myths."*    
             
I'm in, and to be honest, I was in from the first moment I saw the gorgeous Lilith in the bands video for the single 'The End Of Time' - captivated by her beautiful looks and stunning voice! I would follow Lilith and the Clan to the end of time - which is exactly where the band (and album) comes at you from! The title song 'The End Of Time' launches the album in an explosive and highly energetic frenzy - simply stunning! The atmospheric and engaging first forty seconds is divine, followed by a crushing cacophony of drums with so much force the very fabric of existence is in danger of collapsing! A sensational way to announce yourselves to a worldwide audience - the band adopting a heavy melodious stance as 'The End Of Time' (the song) gets underway proper. The bustling rhythm blended with Lilith's sultry vocals are like chalk and cheese, beauty and the beast, or love and hate! But then opposites do attract after all!    
             
And attractive the bands music certainly is - the breath taking opener followed by the mellower intro'd 'Dark Matter', proceeding to batter and bash the senses with an almighty foot stomp! Crushing is not the word - devastating is more like it! The intoxicating vocals grab your attention and draw you in, the crescendo of heavy hitting heavy metal slapping you violently 'round the head. A stunning opening double has given me goose bumps, as I'm sure it will you too - with a change of pace at half way 'Dark Matter' becomes a fast paced fury of red hot metal! 'Go To Hell' maintains the albums intense aura, the pace increasing from the previous song - 'Go To Hell' adopting the classic "foot on the monitor" gallop of old school heavy metal. And with growled backing vocals over the chorus break, 'Go To Hell' takes on a menacing feel not heard previously - those vocals coming across as very scary! There's just no escaping the bands heavy intentions, every song so far destroying the airways to leave only desolation in their wake. Simply incredible! With the beginning few seconds to 'Who Am I' resembling an Iron Maiden style intro, Wasteland Clan soon plant their feet firmly on the detonator, with incendiary devices exploding left, right and fucking centre! 'Who Am I' is an explosive rampage of intense heavy metal that gets the adrenaline flowing faster than ever! What a rush! And 'Who Am I' sees a return of the growled backing vocals too! Is there no end of surprises to what's on offer?    
             
Definitely not! For 'Revenge' sees angelic vocals lead the way before a thunderstorm strikes and we're off and stomping with enough force to shake the ground. And the growled vocals appear again too - this time with much more presence, chiming in similar to a duet! I'm telling ya, Wasteland Clan are full of surprises, 'Revenge' picking up speed and hurtling on at full tilt! What an album 'The End Of Time' is turning out to be! And as 'Fight Fire With Fire' begins, a regal sounding rhythm fills the air, descending into a majestic stroll, captivating an already captive audience - the chorus break a jack hammer style affair of immense proportions. I just can't reiterate enough how hard hitting this album is - weaker souls already reaching for the painkillers! While the rest of us diehard metallers, remain standing tall yelling at the band "is that all you've got". To which Wasteland Clan reply with a defiant "no" - knocking us for six with the exquisite and fairly haunting 'Rising Storm'. Power and force is replaced by mellow and serene with an anticipation of all hell breaking loose, along with Lilith's voice as rich and beautiful as ever! Yet hell never breaks loose, 'Rising Storm' following the hymn-like structure with total elegance. The band are sounding phenomenal here, 'Rising Storm' inviting listeners to raise lighters high. And why wouldn't you? Only if you don't own a lighter, is the only acceptable excuse for not raising one!    
             
Pace and power make an emphatic return in the shape of the heavy hitting 'Gods Of War', with the growled vocals taking the lead! Lilith takes a secondary position in the vocal role, offering backing vocals across the chorus break - there's just no stopping the band delivering surprise after surprise! The album has been an incredible journey offering thrills and excitement with every new song that passes by - and the ride ain't over yet! There's still two songs to go! The first of which 'Messiah', returns the hymn-like flavour of earlier, building the atmosphere to a crescendo, launching into a fiery tirade of raucous heavy metal. The mix of female lead and growled backing vocals is very much back in the ascendancy too, the band maintaining their staggering debut into the world of heavy metal music. I predict big things for Wasteland Clan, so watch this space and keep your ears peeled! The final song on offer 'Emptiness', clocks in at nearly seven minutes in length, and is a masterful song full of atmosphere and tension, leading the listener to a peak of anticipation, and letting loose in the most incredible manner. The bands trademark heaviness coupled with pace and power takes centre stage as the band roar forth, delivering 'Emptiness' with an abundance of passion and desire. 'The End Of Time' (the album) is a magical and quite frankly sensational slab of terrific heavy metal.    
             
Overall, a superb album that thrills and excites with infectious and exhilarating heavy metal that'll leave you breathless.    
             
             
*source, Massacre Records press release 2023    
             
Review by Iron Mathew Collins    
             
Reviewed for Metal Gods TV    
             
             
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