Review
I've said it before, and I'm sure I'll say it a million times again from now: I am not a fan of power metal. But when I say that, I really mean I'm not a fan of the uber-cheesy European-style power metal. Soulless shred and, frankly, pansy-ass singing does not interest me. But in fact, I love American-style power metal. There are so few bands playing it (NevermorePretty fucking awesome, that's how it sounds.
Satan's Host are at their best when they go full throttle, working tremolo riffing into their thrashy assault, drums blasting or filling, and vocals soaring. Check the title track for a perfect example. But they are accomplished at slower speeds as well, mastering drama and emotion on cuts like "Before the Flame". The songs are a trifecta of catchy, aggressive, and evil. There's not much more to say. You need to hear it for yourself.
The Verdict: Ever since Nevermore's big letdown last year, I've had an itch that I couldn't scratch. By the Hands of the Devil scratched it raw and left me bleeding. I give it 5 out of 5 stars.
Very glad you enjoyed that one as much as I did.
ReplyDeleteNevermore power metal?! The funniest thing I've read in a while
ReplyDeleteSure they are. It was a little more straight-forward earlier in their career (as Metal Archives and Allmusic both agree). They've added a lot more elements, and it's become some kind of progressive power/thrash/groove metal. But if you want to boil down their genre into two words, even today, I don't think you can do better than "power metal".
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