Review: Soundscream - My Heart Will Never Die EP
- Thursday, 13 November 2008 09:25
- Written by Joe Henley
Japan’s Soundscream have arrived with a debut E.P., My Heart Will Never Die, a mix of Japanese upbeat power metal and classic Judas Priest and Iron Maiden. The opener, “Never,” has that Japanese anime happy vibe to it. But on the second track, “Nightmare,” the Priest and Maiden influence is put on full display, with a palm muted, chugging verse, and dueling solos between guitarists Yuichi and Kei, who also pulls vocal duty. The main riff even sounds a little like “Fear of the Dark,” if you use your imagination. The vocals are more mid-range and dirty, though they do stray into the stereotypical power metal over-the-top territory.
“Flame of Heart” is a little darker and heavier. It loses that happy vibe at the beginning, and if not for the vocals it would lean more toward the Iced Earth end of power metal if the sound was a little thicker. But it doesn’t quite get there, and sticks with that early-to-mid 80s Priest sound. There’s a classic feel to it, as if the band was transported from the opening slot of some NWOBHM tour to present day. The virtuosity of the guitar playing is of another era.
“Chain of Eternity” has a speed metal feel to it, with doubled leads and that speedy alternating bass drum and hi-hat beat throughout, though by songs end this gets a little tiring. Luckily, on “Resolution,” the final track, they do switch t up and show their diversity a little. They stray slightly from the power metal formula toward more of a hard rock sound, but don’t go far from their roots. They almost have a power metal version of a break down before a blindingly fast solo kicks in.
The problem with power metal is that these types of solos have become so expected and predictable that you can almost sing out the notes of the solo before they are played without having heard the song before. The familiarity is comfortable though, so for all the hardcore Priest and Maiden fans out there who are looking for a little retrospective, of which there are many I’m sure, Soundscream is for you.