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Artist: Iron Fate
Title: Cast In Iron
Genre: Power Metal
Release Date: 2nd July 2010
Label: Massacre Records



Album Review

IRON FATE originally took the name CRYPTERIA back in 2005, but quickly changed it. The German four-piece quickly released a demo and then waited for some time before finally releasing their debut. As fans can expect, the result is much better than the demo. IRON FATE performs a combination of thrash metal with power metal on their debut album. If MERCYFUL FATE were to fuse itself with DIO, then one would get almost the perfect clone of IRON FATE. The vocals have that operatic quality to them but they also can reach ear splitting highs. The guitars are catchy and chugging in their thrash metal / groove metal formula and the drums tend to plod along just as a backup rhythm. However, there’s a few interesting solos in the mix to keep things from being too monotonous, but not too many to make the music too flashy.

‘The Arrival’ opens the album with a dark, moody intro with a demonic voice speaking. Then the music launches into the track ‘Iron Fate’. There’s definitely some thrash influence on this one with the way the riffs are structured and the only thing remotely power metal is the vocals. On this track they soar in their mid operatic fashion, and eventually the solos kick in with some class as well, but for the most part the music is composed as clean thrash. ‘Resurrection’ on the other hand is a bit wilder in the ways of the solos, and the vocalist is able to reach some pretty high notes that match the tone of the guitars. ‘Lightning Bolt’ has some great crunching bass and offers a grungy rock vibe as the guitars roll along. ‘Imagine a Better World’ has a bit more melody and slowed down tempo while sounding like a track from NEVERMORE.

Of course, this is short lived as ‘Rage in a Cage’ features more high pitched vocals and the thrash chug fashion. Drums are a bit more sporadic however. ‘War In The Streets’ has a bit more groove to it and abandons the melodic grace of power metal for a thicker, grittier catchy sound; even the vocals sound more raw. Finally, ‘Painful Sorrow’ can be considered the album “ballad” as it focuses solely on the guitar playing softly while the vocalist croons away for the most part. The drums and other guitar launch a solo eventually, but this track is probably the most emotional song that the group has to offer. A decent closing track!

IRON FATE isn’t anything revolutionary, but they do have skill and their debut album is a strong one. Fans of most power metal will enjoy it, especially for the vocals along with the whole mystical aspect of the theme of the album. The extra raw power from the thrash aspects makes the album a bit heavier compared to most power metal albums, but over the entire entire thing is one melodic heavyweight. Fans of MYSTIC PROPHECY, HELLOWEEN, and CATHEDRAL will enjoy.


Tracklist

01. The Arrival (1:49)
02. Iron Fate (6:02)
03. Resurrection (4:05)
04. Lightning Bolt (4:22)
05. Imagine A Better World (5:38)
06. Killer Instinct (5:02)
07. Rage in a Cage (5:03)
08. War in the Streets (3:39)
09. Painful Sorrow (4:42)


Line-up

Denis Brosowski - Vocals
Harms Wendler - Guitar
Martin Pflugmacher - Guitar
Jan Abraham - Bass
Sascha Wendler - Drums


Website

http://www.crypteria-goslar.de/ / http://www.myspace.com/ironfateband


Cover Picture




Rating

Music: 6
Sound: 7
Total: 6.5 / 10


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