Cauldron
In Ruin
The End Records
2016
I must say that I’ve been following on and off Cauldron, a Canadian “true” metal band that has been going on for the best part of the past ten years, and I did somewhat enjoy their first couple of albums, “Chained to the Nite” and “Burning Fortune”.
They’ve done a fair bit of touring and also released a further album as well as a second EP (their real debut was also an EP)… now having taken a full four years since their last albums the Canadian trio returns with an album that’s not a million miles away from what they were all about, if not a little more melodic and a little less biting, than their previous efforts. They seem to be slowly progressing, but the issue is that to pull off a more melodic style, a better vocal is paramount and Jason Decay, the band’s vocalist/bassist, is really “basic” and barely convincing. Also the style still sounds quite primal and not all that impressive. Whereas bands like Enforcer have successfully managed to up the ante performance wise while also improving their signwriting in spades, Cauldron are just taking baby steps, in a direction they probably should.
Songs like “No Return/In Ruin”, “Burning at Both Ends” and “Santa Mira” (inspired by the movie “Halloween III”) are not too bad and the band explores some nice ideas elsewhere, but not to their fullest potential. If the band wants to go down more melodic pathways, hauling in a better singer should be their primary concern… until then only fanatics should really bother.
They’ve done a fair bit of touring and also released a further album as well as a second EP (their real debut was also an EP)… now having taken a full four years since their last albums the Canadian trio returns with an album that’s not a million miles away from what they were all about, if not a little more melodic and a little less biting, than their previous efforts. They seem to be slowly progressing, but the issue is that to pull off a more melodic style, a better vocal is paramount and Jason Decay, the band’s vocalist/bassist, is really “basic” and barely convincing. Also the style still sounds quite primal and not all that impressive. Whereas bands like Enforcer have successfully managed to up the ante performance wise while also improving their signwriting in spades, Cauldron are just taking baby steps, in a direction they probably should.
Songs like “No Return/In Ruin”, “Burning at Both Ends” and “Santa Mira” (inspired by the movie “Halloween III”) are not too bad and the band explores some nice ideas elsewhere, but not to their fullest potential. If the band wants to go down more melodic pathways, hauling in a better singer should be their primary concern… until then only fanatics should really bother.