Vindictiv
World of Fear
Melodic Rock Records
2015
Vindictiv returns once more for yet another release their third or forth. if I’m not mistaken. The past couple of albums by these Swedes featured, one Goran Edman of Yngwie Malmsteen fame but on the newest one Mark Boals, who’s also an Yngwie alumnus and whos current bands include Ring Of Fire and the role of bassist/backing singer for Dokken, assumes vocal responsibilities and he’s nothing sort of his usual amazing...
Musically the band is typically somewhere between melodic metal and has the occasional soloistic burst that is well complemented by some nice keyboards but what is a little underwhelming is the mix with a rather dry sound one everything but quite verbed drums that hardly can rise above a rather muddy and loud bass sound. It all ends up sound a little confusing to the ear and not well balanced. Thankfully Boals is mixed high enough to not be affected but the instrumental parts could have had a clearer sound.
Opener “Prophecy” is quite tasty and heavy and Boals, soars over the “battle” of instrument beneath him...
“Why” remains heavy but adds quite a few keyboard passages and has a pretty good chorus and slight prog tendencies.
“Paralyzed” has a more epic and it's even more melodic yet. Its chorus is a little unusual so it’s not entirely a “winner” but it fares well. What is a little annoying is that while the verses are pretty solid, the solo’s feel a bit forced on, on more than a few occasions…
“Clay” has a heavy riff, but very melodic singing, that almost brings to mind James Labrie from Dream Theater on a few occasions.
Dream Theater influences continue to run through “Day”, which has some impressive soloing midway but the real star of the show here, is once again Boals, who offers one of his more impressive performances on the album.
The “ghost” of the Berkley Boys, doesn’t let go, as the title track “World of Fear” continues channeling them with Boals still singing in a way that’s comparable with that of Labrie’s. The chorus is heavier but elsewhere there are some poppier melodies and obviously the obligatory solo.
“Dead Men” is not bad with Boals once again soaring high on this heavy tune that sounds quite epic and the band maintains the heaviness and melody for the slightly darker “Wall of Pain”. Yngwie’s instrumental classic “Far Beyond The Sun” is deftly executed with the band paying their countryman tribute, while Boals is probably having some tea!
The album concludes with “The End” an appropriately titled song that’s not a Door’s cover and offers another slab of raging guitars backed up by a fine vocal display by Boals.
“World of Fear” is far from being a terrible album but it’s an album that could easily tire. There are lots of semi-prog examples the mix of melody and heaviness is not always equally successful and the soloing on a few sections is just there for the sake of “being there”... not working in favor of the song. Mark Boals is in fine form and while the performances cannot be faulted, the songwriting (probably the arrangement part) could be improved and feel more natural and organic and the mix could really improve because it drags the album down in quite a big way. The same album with a better mix would have sounded a lot better to my ears.
Musically the band is typically somewhere between melodic metal and has the occasional soloistic burst that is well complemented by some nice keyboards but what is a little underwhelming is the mix with a rather dry sound one everything but quite verbed drums that hardly can rise above a rather muddy and loud bass sound. It all ends up sound a little confusing to the ear and not well balanced. Thankfully Boals is mixed high enough to not be affected but the instrumental parts could have had a clearer sound.
Opener “Prophecy” is quite tasty and heavy and Boals, soars over the “battle” of instrument beneath him...
“Why” remains heavy but adds quite a few keyboard passages and has a pretty good chorus and slight prog tendencies.
“Paralyzed” has a more epic and it's even more melodic yet. Its chorus is a little unusual so it’s not entirely a “winner” but it fares well. What is a little annoying is that while the verses are pretty solid, the solo’s feel a bit forced on, on more than a few occasions…
“Clay” has a heavy riff, but very melodic singing, that almost brings to mind James Labrie from Dream Theater on a few occasions.
Dream Theater influences continue to run through “Day”, which has some impressive soloing midway but the real star of the show here, is once again Boals, who offers one of his more impressive performances on the album.
The “ghost” of the Berkley Boys, doesn’t let go, as the title track “World of Fear” continues channeling them with Boals still singing in a way that’s comparable with that of Labrie’s. The chorus is heavier but elsewhere there are some poppier melodies and obviously the obligatory solo.
“Dead Men” is not bad with Boals once again soaring high on this heavy tune that sounds quite epic and the band maintains the heaviness and melody for the slightly darker “Wall of Pain”. Yngwie’s instrumental classic “Far Beyond The Sun” is deftly executed with the band paying their countryman tribute, while Boals is probably having some tea!
The album concludes with “The End” an appropriately titled song that’s not a Door’s cover and offers another slab of raging guitars backed up by a fine vocal display by Boals.
“World of Fear” is far from being a terrible album but it’s an album that could easily tire. There are lots of semi-prog examples the mix of melody and heaviness is not always equally successful and the soloing on a few sections is just there for the sake of “being there”... not working in favor of the song. Mark Boals is in fine form and while the performances cannot be faulted, the songwriting (probably the arrangement part) could be improved and feel more natural and organic and the mix could really improve because it drags the album down in quite a big way. The same album with a better mix would have sounded a lot better to my ears.