RAZOR WIRE SHRINE

This second effort by US outfit Razor Wire Shrine is bound to be compared to Cynic I guess. Blending jazz and technically challenging, sophisticated metal tends to get that result.

In this case we're dealing with a purely instrumental outing though, and while they do utilize a fair share of challenging instrumental excursions and odd rhythms, the sound actually reminds me more of old school death metal band Possessed. In particular in the metal passages of course, which are dark, extremely distorted and mostly on the heavy and brutal side, ranging from slow and sludgy to extreme in a manner pretty similar to a band like Possessed on their "7 Churches" classic from the late 80's.

There's a fair share of interesting and intriguing material on this disc, but the compositions in themselves comes across as somewhat lacking for me though. Too much repetition and lacking in the more subtle and sophisticated details I crave - and too emotionally detached to appeal to me in terms of mood and atmosphere.

But those who enjoy instrumental, brutal and technical metal with jazzy forays should find this one a rather pleasing experience. A well made effort in this genre.

Finally the new RWS album has come ,4 years after their impressive debut GOING DEAF FOR A LIVING, and will delight our senses with an intelligent dose of aggressive and smart instrumental music!After a too long wait ,the Rodler brothers come to us with an album that is more that we expect!Great technical demonstration,some trully impresive tour de force musical wizzardry,musically speaking and the first reaction after an audtion of this album is WOW!!!They are kicking hard with MANIAC FREAK MACHINE, and this is the opening for a blasting album that has everything:technicity,demonstration,attitude,intelligent aggresivity in the good sense and some very,very competent and gifted musicians!Everything on this album has the power of a bulldozer and the production is huuge!Crystal clear sound and a dense musical message for the people who like aggressive music in the vein of MESHUGGAH or some other nordic aggressive European bands in modern metal!Brett is simply stellar on drumming of this album and proves to be very skilled and impressive behind the drum kit! Chris is a rhythm machine and the bass guitar together with the drumms are trully infernal! Perfect synchronicity and a true power trio together with Mike Ohm on guitar-a spectacular musician indeed!This is the kind of musical message that fans of technical aggressive msuic will adore from the first note of the album!Great riffs commbined with an energetic musical style ,full of intelligent ideas and very worked ,skilled and brilliant compositions!The only minus of the album is the timing....a little more of 40 minutes,but it's definitelly high quality music,dense and catchy to the core,all the compositions are punching straight to the target!A highly impressive album that has now the chance to be widely distributed by NIGHTMARE RECORDS ,which felt the huge potential of RAZOR WIRE SHRINE! Hat off to some sensationally gifted musicians and to a spectacular album which proves that aggressivity matches perfect with technicity when the musicians are intelligent and passionated 200% tor their musical credo!!! 5 STARS FROM THE HEART!!!!