Villains - Drenched In The Poisons review artwork

Rating: 9.3

Country: USA

Release Date: 2007

Track list:
1. Black Moon Rising
2. Living On The Run
3. 7th Son
4. Death Wish
5. Witch’s Sin
6. The Rage Within
7. World Of Corruption
8. Bounty Hunter
9. Monsters
10. Aberration
11. Haunted
12. Daughter’s Hell

Band Website: Amulance

Amulance - The Rage Within/The Aftermath (Reissue)

Rik Baez- Vocals
Thom Braddish- Bass
Bob Luman- Guitar
Eric Wedow- Drums (Rage Within)
Tony Divozzo- Drums (Aftermath)

After having overseen the resuscitation of two forgotten Deutsche-Speed stalwarts (Drifter and Vectom), nascent label Stormspell has deemed it fit to revive and embalm one of the sleepers of the American power metal boom. I'm not entirely certain why nobody has conceived of this endeavour to date, considering these two demos are, to my mind, heads and shoulders over much of the more celebrated material of this period. True, the LP on New Renaissance has not aged quite as gracefully, but Amulance's claim to the top rung of the speed/power hierarchy should not be dismissed by any serious-minded metalhead. In terms of dexterity, ambition, songcraft and virtuosity, I earnestly believe this band has always been at the apex of the heap, and should be in the upper echelon of collector's lists.

Ostensibly originality has been a source of grievance for pedantic collector-types, and admittedly invention is not Amulance's strong suit. While they quaff from the same wellspring as virtually every power metal band from their epoch (Iron Maiden with inflections of Priest and Mercyful Fate), they did not twist and transmute this form in quite as pronounced a fashion as Brocas Helm did with their first two records, or Omen for that matter. Amulance are more aligned with the vision of a Savage Grace - lean, sinewy, exquisitely conceived and executed molten METAL, characterized by infectious hooks, devastating breaks and adroit shifts.

Of course, such a parallel is ultimately tentative, as Amulance have a deft progressiveness to their sound that is far from understated, as well as an absolutely AUDACIOUS arsenal of chops that attests to the collective (and individual) instrumental athleticism of the band. Of note is portly bassist Thom Braddish, whose limber bass runs continually push out of the pocket to streak the sonic canvas with fiery splashes of flair. Fusillades of white-hot riffing issue from every corner- “7 th Son”, while coming a bit too close to “Wrathchild” for comfort (vocal phrasing and lyrics included), is a radical take on Di'Anno Maiden, replete with a breakneck riff accented with guitar harmonics, acrobatic Burr drumming, SHRIEKING harpy vocals and more unpredictable shifts than you mangy miscreants deserve. Elsewhere, “Black Moon Rising” evokes visions of Don't Break The Oath, while the Aftermath demo exhibits more of a concerted “speed metal” feel, downtuning the traditional metal inclinations in lieu of a sharper, more pointed chug-a-chug style not far removed from what Liege Lord were doing on their second and third albums (check out that break 02:50 through “Bounty Hunter” for evidence of this band's tautness….FUCK!).

Persisting through it all, though, are Rik Baez's incendiary Di'Anno-meets-Bruce vocals, a crystal-clear, technically accomplished voice that exudes personality and an arresting authority. I can't imagine a more complementary vocalist to this band's approach, his phrasing is laconic and rhythmic, his hooks are irresistible, and he has the shrewd canniness that distinguishes the finest power metal vocalists. Like the rest of the band, he has a yen for swagger and showboating, but knows exactly when to stray out of the sonic pocket to assert himself with vibrato and sustained falsettos. This goes for the rest of the lot- while each of them shares a panache for showy fills, everything is rendered subordinate to the service of the song. This is exquisite stuff, and with the extensive liner notes (succinct blurbs, written by individual band members, are devoted to describing each and every song on the compilation), this is a no-brainer for all gourmands of meaty power metal.

July 16th, 2007