When you become a part of the metal community, you quickly learn that Finland are one of the best breeding grounds for metal legends. NIGHTWISH, TURISAS, ENSIFERUM and AMORPHIS are part of this hall of fame. Judging from the utmost strength their upcoming record possesses, BLOODRED HOURGLASS could easily join this list. Their fourth studio album Godsend is due for release this Friday and judging from the strong, bold sounds it possesses, it’s more than safe to say it’s not going to come quietly.
For those who are unfamiliar with the works of BLOODRED HOURGLASS, here is some information. In 2005, five guys had one vision; bring together the sounds of old school and modern melodic death metal. For the past decade and a bit, their signature sound and relentless live shows have seen them climb up the music ladder.
Godsend doesn’t beat around the bush, it gets straight to the point with ballsy opener Waves Of Black. It starts off with a strong opening, one that grabs your attention almost instantly. I particularly like the guitar work; the melody is strong and one that keeps you engaged throughout the track. The mix of black metal screams and death growls work very well together.
One of the things BLOODRED HOURGLASS are known for is their lyrical content about the environment. When you scratch the surface of melodic death, there is a poignant message about the state our environment is actually in, this is reinforced by lyrics such as “in waves of black where the dead whales can’t wave back”. From what I understand from the lyrics “so tempted to close our eyes, pretend that we’re safe and sound”, it states how most of the population would rather turn their backs and pretend it’s not happening.
Throughout the album there is a great deal of strength, determination and brutality. Each track contains something that keeps our attention, even when reeling from a heavy evening the night before.
The riff at the beginning of Alysia reminds me of an AMORPHIS track. The melody in this track is empowering and it gives off the vibe of being able to conquer the world. I find this is reinforced by the brutal guitar riffs and dominant vocal work. The melodies played on the piano soften the brutality for a few moments.
The sci fi introduction to the track My Route enticed me in straight away. As the track picks up, I get an idea of what a mash up between AMARANTHE and MOONSORROW would sound like. The mix of electro sounds and black metal vocals works very well. After the first listen you will only have to look at the name and that memorable sound will be in your head for days on end.
August has a similar melody structure to ARCH ENEMY’s War Eternal. The rapid drum beats, the soaring melodies and prevailing vocals that pack more than a punch. The only exception to the track is black metal vocals, this adds the BLOODRED HOURGLASS flavour to the song. Like the rest of the tracks, August also contains a finger blistering guitar solo that had me practising air guitar when listening to it.
The album ends on a beautiful and powerful note with the track White Feather. It gets the balance of sheer brutality and soft purity just right. Only legends can make this happen to the utmost quality. Judging from the high quality melodic death metal that Godsend gives you, it’s more than safe to say there is a spot in the league of legends reserved for BLOODRED HOURGLASS.
Rating: 9/10
Words: Lotty Whittingham
Godsend will be unleashed 28th June 2019 via Out On Line Music.
Find BLOODRED HOURGLASS on Facebook, Twitter and their official website.
