WAR OF AGES "Rhema"

 

(c) 2021 Facedown Records

1. Sleight Of Hand
2. Pyrite
3. Unspoken
4. No Altars

Leroy Hamp--Vocals

Steve Brown--Guitars

Jack Daniels--Guitars

Elisha Mullins--Bass

Kalem Luebchow--Drums

Sixteen minutes and change.  That is all you have to brace yourself for the (mostly) full-on metalcore onslaught that is War Of Ages new EP, Rhema.  16:02, is the length of the entire EP, to be precise.  That is not very long.  You can almost get your oil changed in the same amount of time...which, come to think of it, would be a great way to spend the time!  The point is that War Of Ages has just these four songs and 16 minutes to melt your face and pummel your body with crushing riffs, thundering drums, and harshly barked metalcore vocals.

And they do exactly that!

If you are a follower of the metalcore scene, in general, or the Christian metalcore scene, specifically, you likely have already heard half of this EP, as both "No Altars" and "Sleight Of Hand" have been previously released as singles.  "No Altars" which debuted in June of 2021, may be my favorite War Of Ages track ever, with its absolutely crushing twin guitar attack and Luebchow's massive drum sound all combining with Hamps signature vocals to deliver an absolutely scorching, yet somehow still melodic, slab of metalcore that fans of the band have likely been salivating over for several months now.  This is one potent track, both musically and lyrically, with Hamp barking in the first verse: 

"My God will set fire to your altars!  

Pray to your gods while burning in your disbeliefs!  

You'll be the first to admit that you've abandoned...

All hope in your fight for integrity!"

Before the melodic pre-chorus sings:

"Oh, God, eternal

Reach down, You see all that I am.

You know my heart is yearning.

All else will fade away."

And then roaring through the chorus...

"Fall to your knees!

Bow down to the one true King!"

 

"Sleight Of Hand" is a bit more chaotic at the outset than "No Altars", with discordant guitars crashing their way through a brief intro before the machine gun burst of the drums bursts the song into its true form and Hamp comes out ferociously snarling at his angriest!  "Sleight Of Hand" of course, still maintains the melodic sensibility that War Of Ages is known to weave throughout the brutality of their songs, and an early guitar solo, along with the layered singing portions of the song, serve to set what War Of Ages does apart from so many others in the field.  Equally as crushing and intricate as "No Altars", "Sleight Of Hand" is another WoA track that has wormed its way to the very top of my faves list in a rapid ascension.  Truly great stuff here.

The other two tracks here are, as of yet, unreleased.  "Pyrite" is another all-out-angry crushfest, with some of the most interesting drum patterns on the EP, and an absolutely frantic-yet-melodic guitar line running through the pre-chorus sections.  Make no mistake, the jackhammer rhythm guitars and absolutely devastating drums (do I detect some blast beats in one brief section?!) set a tempo that threatens to launch the track right out of your speaker....until a sudden tempo and stylistic shift turn the song completely on its ear for about 40 seconds as a gorgeous, soulful guitar solo threads its way through the darkness that Hamp's throaty death growls delivers.  There is a LOT going on here, and I suspect fans of As I Lay Dying are going to find themselves hitting repeat, well, repeatedly on this one.

"Unspoken" sets the listener back on his/her heels immediately with the bluesy, jazzy style of guitars that intro the song.  Not kidding, I thought that somehow the preview tracks I was sent got mislabeled somehow by my computer, as those first 15 to 20 seconds are completely out of left field.  However, once the melodic clean vocals hit with a hint of what is to come on the chorus, my brain rights itself and is instantly sucked into this more mid-tempo metal assault.  Tempo-wise, this track treads very similar ground to what Fit For A King has done on its last couple of albums, although I have to say the solo guitar work here...along with Luebchow's absolutely insane drum work...set War Of Ages apart from their metalcore counterparts.

How this band has not become more well-known is beyond me.  Hamp and Brown have been hammering away at your eardrums and skulls as War Of Ages for nearly two decades now, and every release has been a blistering, sonic assault on the senses.  With the addition of Daniels in 2013, the band stepped things up even further, and with a full line-up that has been in place for four years, there is a chemistry that is undeniable on the last two albums and now this new EP.  Will Rhema be the step that launches the band into the realms of the metalcore elite?  There are 16 minutes and two seconds of melodic metalcore fury and aggression on Rhema that say it may just be the ticket.  If not, stay tuned, as I have no doubt that War Of Ages has even more to crush you with in the near future!

Available digitally, on a limited edition vinyl, and CD, snag Rhema today at     www.warofagesmetal.com and maybe schedule an oil change during which you can absorb the melodic ferocity of this EP!

Rating:  Short, to be sure, but blisteringly crankable!  Spin this up to an 8, with two or three more songs likely pushing this into 9, or higher, territory!  Get it now, metalcore fans!

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VICTORY "Gods Of Tomorrow"

 

(c) 2021 AFM Records

1. Love Hate
2. Gods Of Tomorrow
3. Cut To The Bone
4. Dying In Your Arms
5. Hold On To Me
6. Into The Light
7. Mad
8. Unconditional Love
9. My Own Desire
10. On Fire
11. Rising Force
12. In Rock We Trust
13. Leave You Alone

Gianni Pontillo--Lead Vocals

Herman Frank--Guitars

Mike Pesin--Guitars

Malte Frederik Burkert--Bass

Michael Stein--Drums

As a teen, I was constantly seeking out bands that my friends had never heard, obsessed with amassing a musical catalog that was unparalleled in my small section of the universe.  We are talking about the 1980's, when there were new labels popping up left and right, and new bands showing up all over the place, providing me an endless supply of unheard of hard rock and metal bands.  Then, because of an ad in the back of one of the various metal magazines I read at the time, I made friends with a couple of guys in Europe...through the mail of all things...and I was suddenly awash in even more bands...FOREIGN metal bands that no one here knew of...as we established a pretty intense trading network.  

Among the piles of cassettes I received was an album called Don't Get Mad...Get Even! by a German band called Victory.  I thought it was pretty cool, made even more cool by the fact that the founder of the band was originally in Accept, who I had taken a pretty quick liking to, as well.  I wasn't as fond of the US radio single, "The Check's In The Mail" as a lot of people seemed to be, but I liked a lot of the album.  Then Culture Killed The Native came out in '89 (I missed 1987's Hungry Hearts until several years later) and I was hooked in a big way, especially by the vocals of the new lead singer, Fernando Garcia!  To this day, I still pull that CD out and crank "On The Loose", "Don't Tell No Lies", and "Never Satisfied" when I'm hitting my home gym.  Temples Of Gold, You Bought It--You Name It, and Voiceprint all followed, and while I enjoyed each of these albums, none of them caught my ear the way Culture... did.  The band broke up in 1997, only to reunite in 2002 with a basically the original line-up, which meant no Garcia, and the couple of albums Victory released in the 2000's did pretty much nothing for me.  Their last album was 2011's Don't Talk Science, which I found to be a pretty serious disappointment, after which the band announced they were riding off into the sunset.    

Now, a full decade since that "last album", Victory resurfaces once again with a brand new line-up and a new album, Gods Of Tomorrow. With Frank the only remaining member, I was very curious as to the sound of the new version of Victory, and as to whether the songs were going to be better than the rather boring material that had appeared on those final few records.  

Immediately, it is evident that the new line-up has infused some life into this once great band! "Love Hate" kicks things off with some distant-sounding guitars and percussion elements, slowly building and becoming more prominent, until the song-proper kicks off with a biting guitar riff and huge, thundering drums.  New vocalist, Gianni Pontillo, snarls his way into the mix and I am intrigued.  He is definitely not as rangy as Garcia, but there are definitely some similarities which lead me to believe Pontillo can probably pull off the band's catalog pretty well in a live setting.  His husky, gruff delivery fits the music extremely well on this aggressive track that reeks of the straight-up metal sound of the mid-to-late-80s (don't think hair metal...think early Ratt, Accept, Priest, Leatherwolf, Keel, etc.).  The solo is powerful and sharp, and I have to admit to being very taken by the drums from Stein, which have a really big sound and are delivered in tight, aggressive patterns.  One track in, and I am sold on this new Victory!

The album's title track is up next, and the band does not let up one bit.  In fact, "Gods Of Tomorrow" is even harder, faster, and crunchier than the lead-in track, and the solo here is exceptional!  After several listens, Pontillo's voice really sounds to me like a combination of Garcia and Les Carlson of Bloodgood fame, with that aggressive snarl firmly in place, a pretty solid range, and enough character that he doesn't sound like a cookie-cutter frontman.  I was pretty skeptical, to be honest, as the guys brought in on the last few Victory albums really didn't do much for me (although, to be fair, the songs really weren't there, in my opinion).  The twin guitars give this track (and the album) a complete, full sound, and Burkert's bass really gets a chance to be heard here, which is a bonus.  I dig this track a lot, and  I could listen to an album of this type of high-intensity classic metal pretty much any time!

"Cut To The Bone" continues in that classic 80s metal vein, although there is more of a hard rock element here, as the guitars aren't quite as aggressive as on the first two tracks.  Don't fret, my friends, as this is still a really good track, with the Carlson vocal comparison for Pontillo really coming across strong on this track as the vocalist keeps his range a bit more in the middle-lower end.  Still a great song with another blistering guitar solo that makes me really wonder if Frank was struggling with a burnout that a decade away from recording as Victory has really helped him recover from.  Not my favorite track on the record, but still a great song to my ears.  

Things slow down for the first time with "Dying In Your Arms", and this is where I am completely sold on this record (and we're only 1/3 of the way through).  Not quite a ballad, but definitely slower in tempo, "Dying In Your Arms" is a huge song with a killer riff, a big, power solo that will have lighters thrust into the air almost immediately, and some of the best vocals on the record.  This song would have been all over 1987 radio and MTV, right next to Whitesnake and bands of similar heft and melodic sensibilities.  Again, more hard rock than actual metal, this is a great song, regardless of the decade, and is one that I hit repeat on numerous times.  

"Hold On To Me" ups the tempo once again, and those hard-charging twin guitars kick things back into gear.  Some big backing "whoa-oh-ohs" support the bridge between the verses and the chorus, and Pontillo uses a bit more range here...not glass-shattering, but climbing his range...while still retaining that snarl that works so well for him and this style of music.  By this point, this iteration of Victory has established a comfort zone that fluctuates between punchy hard rock (such as this track) and classic metal, and they deliver in a big way.  This is a total sing along song that will have fans chanting along almost instantly with fists and horns thrust in the air.   Big, big arena rocker here with a solid, heavy bottom end and a catchy rhythm.

The more metallic edge returns for a couple of songs with "Into The Light" and "Mad". While both utilize a heavier, more "metal" approach, "Mad" is the heavier of the two despite being more mid-tempo than "Into The Light".  "Mad" comes churning out...well...rather angrily, with crunchy guitar riffs and plodding drums, and the seething intensity doesn't let up throughout the song's entirety.  Even Pontillo's vocals take on a bit of a darker tone, carrying that Les Carlson vibe I mentioned before, and "Mad" sounds a lot like something Bloodgood would have done on their last effort, which is a great thing!  The chorus has some great backing vocals and has a big, sweeping feel, which serves to set off the verse sections exceedingly well.

From here on out, it is pretty much anthem after anthem, all of them ranging from really good to excellent!  "Unconditional Love", despite its name, is a searing rocker with one of the fastest tempos on the entire album.  Charging straight ahead from the get-go, this track definitely has that classic Victory feel to it, and the tempo shift in the pre-chorus section screams of something that would have slipped easily onto Culture Killed The Native or Temples Of Gold.  "My Own Desire" holds that same high-intensity drive, as well, with some smoking guitar licks helping to intro the track as the rhythm guitar grinds across the punchy drums.  These two track back-to-back are an excellent representation of what Gods Of Tomorrow is all about!

The rest of the album holds its own with everything that came before, which I will admit I was concerned about with 13 tracks.  Generally speaking, if a band is able to keep my attention past 10, its a really solid record.  That there are no tracks I would give the axe on Gods... says something to me!  "On Fire" blazes forth with yet another screaming guitar solo and fist-in-the-air chant-along chorus that I truly hope the band interjects into any live set they have in the coming years.  I really dig this track!  "In Rock We Trust" (not a Y&T song) packs a punch in a big way with its snarling verses and big, shout along chorus, all bolstered by yet another scorching guitar solo.  Album closer, "Leave You Alone" is also one of the absolute best here, with a cool bass line pulsating throughout the track, and Pontillo spending much of the track in the lower fringes of his range on this story song that drips with 80s nostalgia, teasing you with the edgier, more metallic guitar tones but staying comfortably in the hard rock vein with the multi-layered chorus and the show-stealing guitar solo that may be the absolute best on an album chock full of string-benders!

The songs here are all structured for maximum listening pleasure, it would seem, built around memorable choruses, some absolutely stellar guitar work, and a big arena anthem feel to just about everything here.  The production is also excellent, and I really enjoy the sound obtained with the drums here and the amount of presence given to the bass is appreciated throughout.  I am typically pretty happy with the sonics on AFM Records releases, and Gods Of Tomorrow is not an exception.  Definitely better than anything the band has put out in the post-Garcia years, and possibly my favorite Victory record since Temples Of Gold, Gods Of Tomorrow is due out in late November and is an album that should be on every metalhead's Christmas list for 2021!

Rating:  A very crankable return for Victory!  Crank this to 8!

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FICTION SYXX "Ghost Of My Father's Past"

 

(c) 2021 Independent Release

1. Bleed For The Truth
2. Caught Up In The Moment
3. Whispers In  The Dark
4. My Father's Ghost
5. History Comes Tumbling
6. Innocence
7. This Place Called Life
8. Waiting, Wondering
9. Beyond The Shadows
10. Children Of The Sea (Black Sabbath cover)

Mark Allen Lanoue--Vocals, Guitars

JK Northrup--Guitars, Backing Vocals

Eric Ragno--Keys, Piano, Organ

Larry Hart--Bass

Rory Faciane--Drums

When I first heard that Fiction Syxx was set to release their third album in as many years, I was all sorts of excited!  Had the band done what so many others did (or at least attempted to do) during the Covid shut-down, and gotten themselves busy creating new music?  Then I started asking myself if the project would feel rushed as the band felt some kind of pressure to do something with all of the forced downtime so many of us have faced over these past several dark months.  Would the album be all brooding and cold?  Would it come out like some others I have heard, completely overworked, over produced, over...over-EVERYTHING...as the band had so much time to write and re-write and re-edit everything it came out sounding cold and mechanical and sterile?

Turns out, the down time had given my own mind too much time to worry about such things, as Fiction Syxx has unleashed an album for the ages with their newest offering, Ghost Of My Father's Past!

Right from the outset, Fiction Syxx is in top form, with "Bleed For The Truth" bursting forth with the kind of melodic power that has been their calling card ever since Tall, Dark Secrets was unleashed in 2019.  Their sophomore effort, The Alternate Me, upped the ante a bit, adding a bit more punch to their already powerful approach to melodic prog, and "Bleed For The Truth" steps right back up to where the band left off and smacks a home run!  Sweeping guitars from both Lanoue and underrated wizard, JK Northrup, attack your senses almost immediately, but its the power of Lanoue's voice that seems to haunt me when I am listening to this album, even more so than on previous Fiction Syxx records.  Hart is in full-force here, as well, as his bass is solidly present in the mix, as are Faciane's drums.  And while it is a well-documented fact that I think too much keyboard can kill just about any song or album, the expert work from Eric Ragno may be the overly-cliche glue that holds this project together.  All of these elements come together right from the start of Ghost..., which had me instantly hooked.

"Caught Up In The Moment" finds me being exactly that, as this rocker enchants the listener almost instantly!  The Eastern-styled guitar tones (or is it an electric sitar?) are always catchy to my ear, but the performance here is not utilized in the typical way.  Don't imagine a full-blown Zeppelin approach here, as that is not the goal.  Rather, the band uses this unique sound to set the lead guitar apart from the chugging riff of the track and to set up Lanoue's sonic attack as he vocally glides across the atypical guitar bed and powers the song along.  A more traditional sounding, yet oh-so blistering solo run scorches through the midst of this hard-hitting rocker, and two tracks in, it is apparent that Fiction Syxx is operating on a new level, which is saying a lot considering the rare air they had been working in on past albums!  Not willing to settle for what they have done in the past, Fiction Syxx has challenged themselves to take another musical step, and they are obviously challenging listeners to come along for the ride, as the first two songs make it nearly impossible to not wonder what is coming next.

Lead single, "Whispers In The Dark" comes haunting its way in before tribal-sounding drums kick things up a bit and the harmonic guitars spring to life.  Ragno proves he is a master of subtle support on tracks such as this one, as his keyboards offer so much additional life to a track such as this without becoming overly-dominant and distorting the sound of a track such as this one.  This song is pure melodic hard rock ear candy, mid-tempo in pace and blissfully proggy in all the right spots.  Lanoue really allows his voice to soar throughout the track, and Northrup's chilling string bending solo, followed by Lanoue's speedier, crunchier fret run...just...wow.  The chorus is beautifully structured so that you feel the bass and drums pulsing beneath, rather than just being buried.  I truly love this song.  Check it out and see if you agree...

 "History Comes Tumbling" continues the power-prog mastery, and the mournful wail of the lead guitars throughout is chilling to hear.  I love the extended guitar solo on this track, and the bass work from Hart is not lost on the listener as it really helps to drive the song and lay that foundation that these soaring, searing guitars layer themselves upon.  Once again, Lanoue proves himself more than capable of handling just about any approach within his range, and the man is a melodic machine in my opinion.  I could listen to Mark sing the phone book, I think.

"Innocence" slows things down to ballad territory for the first time, and Fiction Syxx tackle the track with absolute mastery.  Lanoue varies his vocal delivery here, utilizing a softer approach on some of the verse sections, while also allowing his voice to really take flight on the chorus sections.  Again, Ragno is the master of the backing sounds on keys here, and the song completely sucks you in after just a single listen.  And the real magic of this song?  The writing!  Seriously, there is some thought-provoking stuff going on here... 

"Look into the eyes of the children, and lose yourself within their Innocence.  

Remember that you were once just like them. 

Now blinded by yourself, Society.  

Where it's all about me..."  

Wow!  Nobody writes like that anymore!  Without beating anyone over the head and telling them HOW to think, "Innocence" implores people to just...well...to just THINK!

"This Place Called Life" comes out nasty and gritty from the word jump, with a dirtier tone to the guitars and some darker supporting sounds from Ragno's keys throbbing through the verse sections.  Doomy, almost Dio-Sabbath-esque here (more on that in a bit), this is a tasty slice of musicality, with the band showcasing an ability to walk on the darker side of prog.  Lanoue adjusts his delivery to fit the track, but never does he drift off into a sullen, sulking approach.  Instead, I imagine a glint in his eye and a sneer on his lips as he powers through the choruses here.  Then, seemingly from nowhere, a brilliant flash of light bursts forth from the darkness in the form of an absolute eruption of a guitar solo, and "This Place Called Life" finds itself fighting for song of the album honors!  Love it, love it, love it!  

If "Waiting, Wondering" doesn't have you thinking Dream Theater to at least some extent, I'm not sure we are listening to the same song.  Also borrowing a bit from classic prog masters, Kansas, "Waiting, Wondering" is one of those songs that just seems to draw you in and wrap you in a sonic embrace, completely absorbing you with its melodic mastery.  Lanoue absolutely kills it here, and the keys from Ragno are spot-on superb!  Normally, the ballads on an album aren't really my thing; oh, sure, I've had my lighter in the air at concerts, but I'm typically a harder, heavier song kinda guy.  However, when a song as chock-full of emotion as "Waiting, Wondering" comes on, I definitely take notice!  A brilliant song, to be sure!

Beyond The Shadows" follows "Waiting, Wondering" up in truly stellar fashion, bumping up the tempo to mid-tempo territory, but definitely increasing the musical intensity.  The guitars are absolutely gorgeous here...seriously, someone needs to find out how these guys are wringing this much melodic soul out of their six strings and let the rest of the world know!  The solo is just achingly beautiful as Northrup runs the frets, and Lanoue is once again completely at the top of his game on this track (and the album in its entirety).  

"Children Of The Sea" closes things out, and if I am being 100% honest, I was pretty worried about this track.  I mean...Dio-era Sabbath?!  It takes massive balls...and humongous talent...to even think about tackling what is considered by many to be a melodic metal masterpiece.  It turns out my fears were for naught, as Lanoue avoids the guaranteed death sentence of trying to ape RJD, and instead delves into the lower ends of his spectacular range to pull off perhaps the vocal performance of the record!  Yes, there are hints of Dio's snarl here and there, but Mark is Mark to the fullest here, and it is amazing.  The Hammond from Ragno is perfection, and the combination of both acoustic and electric guitars absolutely shines.  Heck, even the percussion is spot-on throughout this true metal classic, and I find myself feeling a bit silly for ever questioning how the band might power through this track.  An absolutely perfect end to a dang-near perfect record!

The production throughout the album is crystal clear, and the separation of the guitars is exquisite, with Lanoue and Northrup both getting a strong voice from their respective instrument.  Huge kudos to Northrup who has shown himself to be a true production wizard through the years, and who possibly outdoes himself here.  This is how a melodic prog metal album should sound, plain and simple.  All you other bands of this ilk...take note.

I'm not really sure what happened, nor is it any of my business, but from what I have been told, the album is no longer available through Melodic Rock Records and can only be obtained directly from the band now by clicking HERE.  Regardless of what hoops you need to jump through, make it a priority of yours to hunt down Ghost Of My Father's Past.  You will NOT be disappointed in any way!

Rating:  Supremely crankable!  I'm giving this one the rare 10 and challenging anyone to try to knock this record from Album of the Year status here at G2G!

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THE PROTEST "Death Stare"

(c) 2021 Rockfest Records

1. Paper Tiger
2. Greater
3. Show Up To The Showdown
4. Voices
5. Hell To Hold You
6. The Mountain

Josh Bramlett--Lead Vocals, Guitars

Adam Sadler--Lead Guitars

TJ Colwell--Rhythm Guitars

Jarob Bramlett--Drums, Percussion

Indiana's The Protest come roaring back with an EP of new material that follows up the band's 2018 Rockfest Records debut, Legacy.  This new release features six new tracks (two have already been released as singles), with five of the six being up-tempo rockers, with the sixth being something of a ballad, although don't expect slow dancing and big-haired power balladry here.

The band picks up right where they left off on Legacy with the ferocious "Paper Tiger", which comes off every bit as heavy and aggressive as the previous album's title track.  Some buzzing guitars intro the track (followed by a tiger's roar), with Jarob dropping a big drum rhythm that sets the song off on a mid-tempo-but-crushingly-heavy track that chugs toward Josh snarling and barking his way through the first verse.  On this song about letting go of the fears that hold us back, Josh does everything in his power to abuse his vocal cords, especially on the seething chorus as he exclaims...

"You're just a paper, paper tiger!  

Nothing more than a silver-tongued liar!"   

The chorus is packed full of backing shouts and chants, none of which are credited here, but there is a lot of energy packed into this 3 minute...ahem...rockfest!  A solid breakdown is also incorporated in this fun, punchy kick off for Death Stare.

"Greater" has already surged its way up the charts for many Christian rock stations (and some forward-thinking modern rock stations, as well), and is definitely one of my two or three favorite tracks from the band at this point.  Programmed elements lead the churning guitars and drums into the mix, with Josh utilizing a much more controlled vocal style here as he explains to the listener why The Protest does what it does, despite the long hours on the road and the lack of acceptance among their secular peers.

"I don't do it for the money,

Don't do it for the fame,

As long as someone listens, don't care who knows my name.

I don't do it for the glory

Don't do it for the game,

I do it all to make them see that this all for something Greater than me!"

A truly powerful message about self-sacrifice, not only for doing what you love to do, but also doing it for the One who loves you!  The video is a solid performance piece, as well...check it out...

The EP's current single, "Show Up To The Showdown" is up next, and the band takes a bit of a different tack here, utilizing a sparser sound in the verse sections, followed by a big fist-in-the-air chanting chorus, complete with gang-shouted "heys" scattered throughout.  Jarob's drums have a huge presence throughout this track, as does an uncredited bass line on this thick rocker about standing up to the challenges put in your path.  The band recorded a really fun video for this track as well, which can be seen below...

From here, the band launches into another high energy rocker, this one a bit more uptempo and more straight forward than some of the others, with "Voices" tackling depression, negative thoughts, and self-doubt that creep into our minds from time to time.  The longest track on the EP, "Voices" still clocks in at just over four minutes, and is just straight-forward, guitar-driven hard rock from start to finish.  Some excellent guitar work from Colwell flashes through the track, and once again, an uncredited plaer lays down a rumbling bass line that really establishes a solid structure for the rest of the guitars to grind across the top of.  Once again, Josh spends more time singing than roaring here, especially on the verse sections, while he does get a bit more aggressive on the chorus.  There's a very cool vocal bridge that showcases the angrier side of his vocals, when he starts off in a controlled-but-snarled whisper that builds to a full-on scream as he intones...

"I've got this sickness,

It eats me to the bone...

I'll never make it if I try to do it all alone!

I've got this sickness,

It's poisoning my mind...

I'm climbing out of this and now I'm taking back my LIFE!!!"

A tough, tough chug-chug breakdown follows before the band revisits the chorus again.  A really, really good song that I find myself returning to a lot.

"Hell To Hold You" is the ballad of the EP, but again, don't think Homecoming slow dance material here.  A thick, bouncing bass line really drives the verses, with Jarob's drums keeping pace, before the guitars jump into the pre-chorus and chorus sections, with some big "whoa-oh-ohs" accompanying the chorus lyrics...

"Never knew I needed You 'til now...

A part of me was missing.

There's nothing that can keep me from You now.

As long as I'm still breathing, 

My heart is in Your hands.

I'm alive again...

No matter what we've been through

I'd fight hell to hold you."

While the first section of the chorus seems fairly obvious, I find myself asking if that that last part Christ making a statement to the singer.  Hmmmm.....  Some programmed strings are subtly woven into the mix, with them being the most obvious as the song fades out at the end.  This song really surprised me, honestly, but I like the band taking the chance and throwing the curveball when the rest of the record was nothing but heat (sorry...baseball references are what I do...).

"The Mountain" is an absolutely quirky rocker that I can't help but love.  I would imagine it will be very difficult to pull off live due to a lot of programmed stops and starts with the guitars, but Jarob's drums are an absolute treat to hear on this track as they bounce and prance throughout the song.  There's a big arena rock feel to the track when the guitars punch you in the gut, but those sparse moments in between are what really gives this plucky song its true feel...at least for me.  This song has a lot of Skillet styling to my ear, but it is fresh and definitely not some sort of rip-off track.  This is still purely The Protest, throwing back to some of their earlier, pre-Rockfest Records material.  I will be massively disappointed if this song isn't released as a single, as I absolutely love what the guys pull off here and they sound like they had a blast doing it.

Not even 21 minutes in length, the EP should seem much shorter than it does.  However, the high quality of the songwriting and the top-notch performances keep you so engaged you really don't realize how wrapped up you become in each and every track and, at least to me, the EP doesn't feel as short as it actually is.  Maybe that is due in part to the high amount of energy the band pours into each track, wiping you out as you listen!  Very, very well done overall!

I do have a complaint, but it isn't lodged so much at the band as it is at Rockfest Records.  Let me preface this by saying I love Rockfest Records, I buy all of their releases, and I am in awe of their line-up of artists.  That being said, I have to admit to being upset about the way this EP was handled, for a couple of reasons.  First, it is packaged about as simply as anything I have ever received from anyone, with no lyrics, no credits, no thank-yous, and no band info.  Nothing.  It is a simple cardboard slipcase with the cover art on one side and the track listing on the other.  Period.  And, yeah, I could live with that, if I wasn't charged more than $11 for FORCED Priority shipping (there was no First Class option) for this practically weightless CD (there is no jewel case or digipack, so seriously...this thing weighs next to nothing).  That means I paid nearly $20 for a six song EP that isn't signed or anything.  Normally, Rockfest does an amazing job with the packages they put together, and yes, there was a big package with a shirt and trading cards and other things, but the people who only want the CD shouldn't be charged a ton on shipping to make up the cost of the bigger packages.  Trust me when I say this CD did NOT cost $11.50 (or whatever the exact cost was) to ship, even with the bubble mailers factored in.  Hopefully the goal here is not to drive even more people to digital purchasing because I will always be a CD-first guy.

Regardless of that issue (which I really hope was a clerical error), Death Stare is well worth tracking down and is an incredible effort on the part of The Protest!  I have thoroughly enjoyed it since I received it, and if I have spun it fewer than 30 times in the past two weeks or so, I'd be shocked.  If this was a hold-over project as the band works on their next full release, I can't wait to hear what they have in store for us next!

Rating:  Definitely crankable!  Crank Death Stare to a powerful 9, even at only six songs!  It really is that good!

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