CD Review: Messenger - See You In Hell

Written by Petra Whiteley Wednesday, 14 September 2011 15:01

Artist: Messenger
Title: See You In Hell
Genre: True/Heavy Metal
Release Date: 9th September
Label: Massacre Records

Album Review

After quite a time from the release of their debut album, ‘Under The Sign’ in 2006 German True Metal band MESSENGER are ready to give you their sophomore effort titled with an invitation ‘See You In Hell’. MESSENGER wants to embrace you with their vision of what True Metal is. What you get is mostly generic version with vocals being stronger than the music. They prove to be only a weak third cousin band to MANOWAR and HAMMERFALL when their music has to stand a test them. One has to ask why has the passion gone in there and why does Siggy, their singer, have to carry that on his shoulders and solely by himself must he elevate it to some agreeable degree? The first song that gave me more interest was its fifth, ‘Alien Autopsy’, interesting from the beginning, more passionate, more unique. Even if the music picked up, still it’s the vocals that are the most interesting in their diverse expressiveness.

When the guitar solos come in, again though they feel back down on half-hearted effort and don’t feel inventive at all, just going through the motions which lets the song down. ‘Falconlord’ was the best song of the album hands down, the passion in the music finally comes in and nothing spoils it this time. After this, the album begins to be more passionate, albeit still quite generic. For a point of interest, a cover of HELLOWEEN’s Dr. Stein is worth mentioning too. When they try at being epic, it just doesn’t come off that well, it comes incomplete. Their ‘See You In Hell’ invitation is not to a great party but a soiree in an old folk’s home with the only excitement equal to a game of bingo. This release proved to me unconvincing, its beginning dragging the album down with its lack of passion and intensity that was just too much of an easy listening when both of those qualities are a must. For the rest, I still couldn’t find much of their own personality and the only thing that stood throughout were the vocals, not the music.


Tracklist

01. Flames of Revenge (01:05)
02. See You in Hell (04:34)
03. Make it Right (04:15)
04. The Prophecy (04:31)
05. Sign of the Evil Master (Digipak Bonus Track) (08:05)
06. Alien Autopsy (05:09)
07. Final Thunder (05:46)
08. Falconlord (07:55)
09. The Dragonships (05:40)
10. Lindisfarne (05:23)
11. Valkyries (06:49)
12. Land of the Brave (06:32)
13. Dr. Stein (04:32)
14. Tod dem DJ (Digipak Bonus Track) (04:39)


Line-up

Siggi Schüßler – Vocals
Frank Kettenhofen – Lead Guitar
Patrik Deckarm – Rhythm Guitar
Benny Strauß – Bass Guitar
Markus Merl – Drums


Websites

www.messengerband.de / www.myspace.com/messengermetal


Cover Picture




Rating

Music: 6
Sound: 8
Total: 7 / 10