MANIMAL have been on my radar for a while now, I hadn’t sat down and listened to them until recently. They are due to unleash chaos and pandemonium with their upcoming concoction Armageddon. If the actual Armageddon is anything like what this album puts across, I would be thrilled and ready for the ride.
It wastes no time opening with Burn In Hell that drags you along for the ride whether you are ready or not. It’s a great example of what I class as a best opener, one that lures you in and hits you with an impact at the same time. it entices you in with a sinister childlike melody; think of an abandoned music box in an empty, derelict house and you should have a solid idea. The abrupt transition to the loud heavy metal works well and catches the listeners off guard, I won’t say more detail on what happens. It’s up to you to listen to the album.
As mentioned before, this is my first experience of MANIMAL and after this record it definitely won’t be my last. The album contains slick guitar work, pounding basslines, prevailing vocals and thunderous drums that will greatly please the underworld. Below is just a few examples of what I mean.
If there was one word to describe Slaves Of Babylon, powerhouse would be the one. It is an explosion of everything that makes a top solid heavy metal song. If JUDAS PRIEST and Alice Cooper joined forces, this song will give you an idea on what that sounds like. It’s one of those ear worms that gets stuck in your head for days on end from reading the title.
From the moment Chains Of Fury plays, you are instantly taken in by that fist pumping energy. At live shows, this will be the track where keen fans will sing along to the holy words and feet will be stomping on the ground. Oh and not forgetting glossy hair swishing and those air musicians practicing their air guitar. This will be the new anthem at shows.
When you start to listen to Path Of The Unknown, you quickly learn why this track has earned this title. There are many unexpected twists and turns within this maze of a track, I won’t give away too much here as that is up to you to listen to the track once the album is out. One thing I will say is that this track kept me intrigued the whole time, I wanted to see where it took me. I’m glad I stuck around for this.
It ends more than appropriately on the closing track The Inevitable End. These metal veterans keep us guessing right up until the end of the record.
MANIMAL are a result of an experiment cleverly crafted by JUDAS PRIEST, SERENITY and WARKINGS. This grand sound of theirs can be heard throughout their misadventure of Armageddon. The tracks this record bestows cannot simply be background noise, it’s worthy of your undivided attention.
Rating: 8/10
Words: Lotty Whittingham
Armageddon will be unleash 3rd December 2021 via AFM Records.
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