3 Inches of Blood "Advance and Vanquish" CD
[Roadrunner]
I know very little about this Canadian band, so for some reason I was expecting something sludgy. I don't know why. Maybe it was the band name, but whatever the case... that's what I was expecting, and I was way off. This is basically modern heavy metal. And I mean heavy metal. You know, fistbanging fuckin' metal. Dual guitar melodies, energetic tempos, practically upbeat alternate picking runs, raspy Rob Halford-esque singing, etc. Initially I can't make up my mind how I feel about it, though. They've got two vocalists, but you'd never really know. The singing is basically an exaggerated sort of Judas Priest style, but it's not that clean at all, and of course the range exemplified is a bit more limited. It's sort of like Halford mixed with some sort of snarling scream. There are some acerbic backing screams at times, rarely taking a lead role, so I assume that's where the second vocalist comes in? Who knows? The songwriting is actually pretty good. There are definitely some pulsing basslines and guitar harmonies that have a slightly derivative late-70's/early-80's British feel, and on occasion they'll bend that style into a more modern Scandinavian sort of thing, but aside from a few of those little moments the songs are pretty catchy and carry along well. What I question are the vocals, because the lyrics are pretty silly as it is, and combining that with the exaggerated vocals (which can actually get irritating at times) really makes this come off as sort of a joke band... one of those bands that just wants to have fun sort of over-emulating classic metal. And that's cool if that's the case, this does sound sort of fun, and they're good at what they do... but still, that also makes it lack a certain something, you know? I don't want to say it sounds insincere, but... there's something about it that I feel needs a little more substance. But, for the most part, this is an enjoyable listen, so I'm pretty much into it. "Premonition of Pain" is a killer song with a really memorable framework, "Wykydtron" gets a little faster and breaks into some thrashier picking patterns, "Crazy Nights" is a bit slower and more emphatic with its melodic chords and vocal arrangements, etc. It's a fairly consistent listen, but there are some standouts. The solos are cool as well, definitely making sure to add in a well-needed kick that a lot of bands neglect these days. If nothing else, one thing this band has over a lot of comparable modern outfits is that they realize how important tempo is to this style, and they play at appropriate speeds that keep the energy level up there. Neil Kernon handled the production, and it sounds pretty crisp. It could be a little stronger in the rhythm section (the drums lack resonance) and the vocals can be slightly dominant in the mix, but everything is really clear. You can hear the bass parts, the guitars are crunchy and have a good old school metal sensibility with a more contemporary edge, and I think it works for what they're doing for the most part. The layout isn't my thing, though. The text is clear and that's fine, and some of the textures in the booklet are cool, but the cover art of all the troll-ish looking barbarians marching down on advancing hordes from a burning city just looks a little cheesy to me, and I don't really "get it", sans its connection to the lyrics, which I'm also not a fan of. Titles like "Swordmaster", "Axes of Evil", and "Destroy the Orcs" should hint at what to expect, but beyond that the lyrics are just uninteresting, basically telling fantasy tales of war and all this D&D sounding junk. I don't know... I guess in the end there are definitely some elements to sort of overlook in order to really enjoy this record, and the 50-minute running time is probably on the heavy-handed side (13 tracks? 10 would've been fine.), but there's something here worth giving a shot. I'm not hearing much about this band so I hope Roadrunner's going to get them in front of the right audience, but there are circles out there that would probably get a big kick out of this material. (7/10)
Running time - 50:36, Tracks: 13
[Notable tracks: Revenge is a Vulture, Premonition of Pain, Crazy Nights]
Roadrunner Records - http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com

This review has been displayed 4003 times.