Silencer - The Great Bear
'The Great Bear' is the third full length album from U.S. based Thrash/ Heavy Metal group Silencer (not to be confused with the now defunct Black Metal group Silencer). Silencer is stepping into newer territory with this album as they push more for the Thrash side of their music and shed the Death Metal elements. At this point, one could consider the group more of a mix of Heavy Metal and Thrash as opposed to Death and Thrash. Tracks like "Great Bear" and "Insignia" have a lot more rhythm to them, more singing as opposed to growling, and overall just a mid-even pace throughout all the instruments; some could even say the music is more upbeat, and therefore energetic. Death Metal is usually upbeat due to its speed, but with the choice of lyrics and the way the band plays their instruments, a track like "Insignia" can be quite inspiring indeed.
Some tracks just play right off each other to show the band's 'light' and 'dark' sides. "Star City Pt. 1" is ferocious, crushing, and feels like an excellent replica of any old school Metallica track as the band shows off their faster instrumental side. "Pt. II" is much slower, more atmospheric, and sounds much more like the other instrumentals that are peppered throughout the album. Other pieces like "Sacred War," which leads the whole album in with almost a folksy touch, and "The First, The Last" which makes use of choir samples like a Russian March breaks the album up so it doesn't all just feel like a big Heavy Metal crushfest. "Roar" is perhaps the heaviest track of all that will downright blow listeners off their chairs if they are not prepared for it; this makes the other tracks seem mildly tame and easy going compared to this one. Still, overall listeners have a good collection of hard hitting, classic sounding Heavy Metal with an modern sound update that will appeal to fans all the way from Metallica to Judas Priest.
Some tracks just play right off each other to show the band's 'light' and 'dark' sides. "Star City Pt. 1" is ferocious, crushing, and feels like an excellent replica of any old school Metallica track as the band shows off their faster instrumental side. "Pt. II" is much slower, more atmospheric, and sounds much more like the other instrumentals that are peppered throughout the album. Other pieces like "Sacred War," which leads the whole album in with almost a folksy touch, and "The First, The Last" which makes use of choir samples like a Russian March breaks the album up so it doesn't all just feel like a big Heavy Metal crushfest. "Roar" is perhaps the heaviest track of all that will downright blow listeners off their chairs if they are not prepared for it; this makes the other tracks seem mildly tame and easy going compared to this one. Still, overall listeners have a good collection of hard hitting, classic sounding Heavy Metal with an modern sound update that will appeal to fans all the way from Metallica to Judas Priest.
1. Sacred War
2. I Am Thunder
3. 1969
4. Great Bear
5. Insignia
6. Star City Pt. I
7. Star City Pt. II
8. Orders/ Noble Sacrifice
9. The Roar
10. Light
11. The First, The Last
2. I Am Thunder
3. 1969
4. Great Bear
5. Insignia
6. Star City Pt. I
7. Star City Pt. II
8. Orders/ Noble Sacrifice
9. The Roar
10. Light
11. The First, The Last
Label: http://vanitymusicgroup.com
Reviewer: Colin McNamara
Nov 24, 2012
Nov 24, 2012
Next review:
Nycticorax - Anima Tenebrarum
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