Scottish reflections of power metal
Power metal is most certainly not the kind of thing you would expect to hail from the UK, seeming to be more of a European and largely Scandinavian dominated scene. Those bands that do devoutly follow this this unique, genuine and fairytale-like genre within our humble shores are still low key and are climbing slowly but surely on to the scene, heralding long awaited change to a country whose music scene seems littered up with drugged-up angry Indie bands and cheesy and repetitive pop music, catering little for the growing fan base for metal. At a time where such stunning and powerful music is governed by bands who very rarely set dates in the UK, much to the dismay of the fans that worship and idolise them, there comes a wind of change from the North, one that promises to bring metal in all its glory to the forefront of the British music industry. One that promises to take itself and other such aspiring bands to the core of attention and bring the light and sheer beauty within the hallowed name of power metal the full attention and adoration it deserves. Enter Attica Rage, a band hailing from Scotland, a real light of promise and hope on the dark boundaries of the metal horizon.
There is certainly something different about the sound of their brand of power metal that sets them apart from their Scandinavian counterparts and it is a difference that is instantly recognisable. Their lyrics are not so much focused around tales of old, nor dream worlds or battles and ancient betrayal but around the everyday stresses and strains of life, a topic more commonly found among lighter, punk influenced bands. However, there is no mistaking that Attica Rage are indeed based on and around power metal the moment the opening track 'In Concert With The Mirror' kicks in. The riffs are powerful, forever churning like a timeless machine, reliable and forceful, and there is every hint of the techniques so well known to legendary power metal bands such as Sonata Arctica, Rhapsody and Gamma Ray. With flowing accents and riveting pull-offs and a sense of atmospheric power, Attica Rage create a beautifully romantic and captivating sound that could not fail to enthrall and fill the listener with wonder - a true attribute of real power metal. Finely tuned and impeccably skilled too are the vocalists, harmonising beautifully over the frantic and yet strangely mechanical beat of 'In Concert With The Mirror'. Indeed, the song is aptly named for the mood of the song itself is a sheer serenade of reflection and deep emotion, touched faintly by the frosty hands of uncertainty and frailty giving the song a fragile appeal that would threaten to shatter like ice if touched. Don't be fooled though, for while Attica Rage seem to take a much slower and tamer approach to the unleashing of the sheer strength and power of their metal than many of their forebears may chose to do; Attica Rage have a sense of authority and freshness about their sound that should not be underestimated nor pushed aside.
'In Concert With The Mirror' has a real eerie and ethereal sense of atmosphere about it, casting a shadow of mystery and intrigue over the rest of the music like so many of their influences choose to do and while some similarities are still to be found within the depths, it is solely in the music itself that Attica Rage truly come into their own style. In 'In Concert With The Mirror', keyboards create a backdrop that gives away the band's nationality all too well, adding already a touch of something refreshing and exhilarating about the music, and as the guitars and bass flow steadily but confidently together along with the rhythm, there is a real depth to their music that's almost otherworldly and enough to send shivers up one's spine. It's all too easy to fall into the complex and emotive reflections within this song and there is everything to be said for the sheer finesse and flair that Attica Rage display. Already by the opening track they cannot fail to impress fans of this obscure but growingly popular genre, and certainly if there are still some unconvinced and unsatisfied then the second track 'Walk Away' will quell those feelings.
Mysterious and full of morbid elegance and grace, 'Walk Away' is teaming with sheer seductive desire that will sweep you off your feet and wrap you in its swooning melodic passion. Indeed this song quite clearly leaks the spite and malice and hidden lament for a love once lost that belongs to a broken heart and this is exactly what this song is about. With effects that make guitar notes weep salty yet delicate tears and the solemn resounding of keys humming the tune of pain and despair, this melancholic tribute to love and blood soon shifts into an aggressive and eerie beast. It becomes a song that screams all the passion and darkness of A Perfect Circle while clinging on to cutting hammer-ons and heavy rhythms that made Rage what they were. Dark and malicious yet addictively seductive, the beast that is 'Walk Away' will slowly devour your senses and assassinate your mind. In contrast, the short closing track 'Back To The Old School' is a trip down memory lane and brings back the feel good moments we all knew and loved, moments captured so well in Led Zeppelin's famous 'Stairway To Heaven', 'When all is one and one is all, to be a rock and not to roll'. A little strange and out of place from the rest of the album but a funky and nostalgic song none the less.
Attica Rage really are something, and while not really too outstanding from anything Scandinavia can produce, they're certainly a welcome change from the norms of the British music industry and have all the makings of being an incredibly successful band. Perhaps more importantly, they have paved the way for greater acceptance of this unique and captivating genre and may encourage many other bands to follow, keeping the heart and soul of power metal alive in the UK.