Visigoth
The Revenant King
Metal Blade Records
2015
Metal Blade, is a company that vastly abandoned the “old” sound, in favor of extreme and nu-post metal. So signing a band that is inclined towards performing classic sounding metal is quite odd. Visigoth has been a going concern, since 2010 with an EP heralding this, their actual debut, in 2012...
While their riffs, that aren’t particularly complex, have an endearing quality to them, the band altogether, sounds like some epic metal band, that in the 80s, wouldn’t have made their mark and presence felt beyond the local scene, since they lack a really strong and characteristic singer, since Jake Rogers, who is the band’s singer, is an adequate baritone, but sings in a way to uniform way, without any real passion in his otherwise very good delivery. At times, his slightly over the top style, sounds like he’s slightly taking the piss to be quite honest...
Imagine a doomy nerdgasm, over some watered down Omen riffs, with all the bad extravagance that characterizes latter day Manowar and then put a half way descent singer to sing. If Rogers’s singing is powerful then what the hell is Tyrant’s? Out of this earth? (Well fact of the matter it is – sort of!) He’s not bad, but that’s not saying that he’s great... he’s adequate, but not one of the band’s strongest points. Also their songs would have benefited greatly from being a little shorter. Other than an OK cover of Manilla Road’s “Necropolis”, all songs are between five and nice minutes long, so even some good riffs, tend to get lost in the bands lengthy excursions...
Which is sort of sad, since there are a few decent song ideas that the band seems to drive to the ground, by just taking too long to put across... opener “The Revenant King” even at eight minutes long, manages to sound quite interesting, with its short but quite nice riff, a decent chorus and a rather great solo.
“Dungeon Master” has this nice riff as well, but the way, in which Rogers sings for example during the chorus, is unintentionally sounding as if he’s mocking it. He tries to sound “great” and ends up with an over-the-top, yet vocally deep, performance, which kinda mars the songs, which is otherwise quite good.
“Mammoth Rider” riding on a big fat riff, sounds much more like it and even if Rogers’ singing is also, a little over the top to sound, dramatic or heroic, this time the result is rather acceptable, resulting in one of the better songs of the album, even if it sort of goes on without any good reason for a good seven minutes, when it could have been easily five without losing anything too significant.
“Blood Sacrifice” has a lamenting intro that sounds quite nice, going into a more heroic middle, which again, goes on for a while, but thankfully without becoming too boring, just a bit repetitive.
“Iron Brotherhood” has a riff that owes quite a bit to Manowar and while it walks a thin line between becoming good or bad, it manages to avoid, becoming a disaster, only towards the very end. Again a song that could have easily been a bit more compact, without losing its essence.
A cover of the Manilla Road classic “Necropolis”, sounds, decent, but doesn’t add, or indeed subtract anything from the album...
“Vengeance” is rhythmical, and has a nice solo after a more mellow middle part, but doesn’t really end up being something too memorable, even if it seems to have a pretty good chorus.
“Creature of Desire” is more rocking and even Rogers, sounds a lot more liberated and able in his performance, which is a lot more energetic... had he sung like that on the entire album, and had the songs been a little more compact, I might have liked Visigoth, quite a bit...
Finally “From the Arcane Mists of Prophecy” with its pretentious title, is a nearly ten minute epic, that’s not terrible, but seems like the union of three or four shorter songs in a way longer one... it’s better sung again, than a lot of this album is, but the length, makes it feel a little lacking focus… the chorus is pretty good, and there are a few quite good parts, but again, it could have been two songs or a shorter, more epic one.
I cannot speak ill of the band, they seem to have every good intention and a lot of good ideas, but the execution leaves a bit to be desired, imho. Even Rogers ain’t as bad, as I initially had thought, but he needs to refine his style more to really stand out. I’d still vote Ostrogoth, over Visigoth, (lol), and no goths… but hey, I’d still be looking forward to be hearing more from these guys in the future... they’re quite promising.
While their riffs, that aren’t particularly complex, have an endearing quality to them, the band altogether, sounds like some epic metal band, that in the 80s, wouldn’t have made their mark and presence felt beyond the local scene, since they lack a really strong and characteristic singer, since Jake Rogers, who is the band’s singer, is an adequate baritone, but sings in a way to uniform way, without any real passion in his otherwise very good delivery. At times, his slightly over the top style, sounds like he’s slightly taking the piss to be quite honest...
Imagine a doomy nerdgasm, over some watered down Omen riffs, with all the bad extravagance that characterizes latter day Manowar and then put a half way descent singer to sing. If Rogers’s singing is powerful then what the hell is Tyrant’s? Out of this earth? (Well fact of the matter it is – sort of!) He’s not bad, but that’s not saying that he’s great... he’s adequate, but not one of the band’s strongest points. Also their songs would have benefited greatly from being a little shorter. Other than an OK cover of Manilla Road’s “Necropolis”, all songs are between five and nice minutes long, so even some good riffs, tend to get lost in the bands lengthy excursions...
Which is sort of sad, since there are a few decent song ideas that the band seems to drive to the ground, by just taking too long to put across... opener “The Revenant King” even at eight minutes long, manages to sound quite interesting, with its short but quite nice riff, a decent chorus and a rather great solo.
“Dungeon Master” has this nice riff as well, but the way, in which Rogers sings for example during the chorus, is unintentionally sounding as if he’s mocking it. He tries to sound “great” and ends up with an over-the-top, yet vocally deep, performance, which kinda mars the songs, which is otherwise quite good.
“Mammoth Rider” riding on a big fat riff, sounds much more like it and even if Rogers’ singing is also, a little over the top to sound, dramatic or heroic, this time the result is rather acceptable, resulting in one of the better songs of the album, even if it sort of goes on without any good reason for a good seven minutes, when it could have been easily five without losing anything too significant.
“Blood Sacrifice” has a lamenting intro that sounds quite nice, going into a more heroic middle, which again, goes on for a while, but thankfully without becoming too boring, just a bit repetitive.
“Iron Brotherhood” has a riff that owes quite a bit to Manowar and while it walks a thin line between becoming good or bad, it manages to avoid, becoming a disaster, only towards the very end. Again a song that could have easily been a bit more compact, without losing its essence.
A cover of the Manilla Road classic “Necropolis”, sounds, decent, but doesn’t add, or indeed subtract anything from the album...
“Vengeance” is rhythmical, and has a nice solo after a more mellow middle part, but doesn’t really end up being something too memorable, even if it seems to have a pretty good chorus.
“Creature of Desire” is more rocking and even Rogers, sounds a lot more liberated and able in his performance, which is a lot more energetic... had he sung like that on the entire album, and had the songs been a little more compact, I might have liked Visigoth, quite a bit...
Finally “From the Arcane Mists of Prophecy” with its pretentious title, is a nearly ten minute epic, that’s not terrible, but seems like the union of three or four shorter songs in a way longer one... it’s better sung again, than a lot of this album is, but the length, makes it feel a little lacking focus… the chorus is pretty good, and there are a few quite good parts, but again, it could have been two songs or a shorter, more epic one.
I cannot speak ill of the band, they seem to have every good intention and a lot of good ideas, but the execution leaves a bit to be desired, imho. Even Rogers ain’t as bad, as I initially had thought, but he needs to refine his style more to really stand out. I’d still vote Ostrogoth, over Visigoth, (lol), and no goths… but hey, I’d still be looking forward to be hearing more from these guys in the future... they’re quite promising.