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On disc: Morton



Come Read The Words Forbidden - Claudia Ehrhardt - 8 stars


www.maxmorton.com







Come Read The Words Forbidden

Come Read The Words Forbidden
(AFM Records - 2011)


Never heard of Morton? Well, I think most won't have heard of Max Morton and his band. First, this is their debut album which is now getting in stores via AFM Records, they had an EP called Grimoire in 2010 which was a free download. Second, Morton is coming from Ukraine and how many bands do you know coming from the Ukraine? Anyway, with Come Read The Words Forbidden this will change soon, at least fans of melodic power metal will soon be able to name a Ukrainian band.

The open up with the fast symphonic power metal tune Calling For The Storm. Fast double bass drumming and heavy riffs dominate this one, but it's accompanied by keyboard. Fans of Sonata Arctica should check out the opener. For Eaglemark they ease of a little, the song has a catchy hook and is easier to get remember. At some passages Max Morton shows similarities to Michael Kiske... Heavy riffs lead you into Brotherhood Of Light, but you can check out the video to get a better idea of Morton!





For Sleeping King they did a video in 2010, even if it wasn't on the EP. But some other tracks made it onto their debut. Sleeping King is a mid-paced rocker with a memorable vocal line.





After Losing Faith they slow down even more and head into We Are The Shades, a folk rock tune. So, Max and his mates don't present a typical ballad. With Oblivion, one of the songs off the EP, they present a mid-paced track with a memorable guitar line. With Grimoire they present another slow track, this time a bit more symphonic. It's an emotional, balladesque rocker and in my opinion singer Max Morton sounds much better when he has time to express feelings, at the opening track I had my doubts. Time to speed up again and get heavy! Burning Prisoner is another fast melodic metal tune, this time it has a dash of Kamelot in it.... Another fast one is Werewolf Hunt, but here the traditional metal elements are more obvious and Max Morton has more space for his vocal performance which is doing the song good. At Black Witch you can hear reminiscences to Judas Priest... But there is something else... Spoken words lead you into Azrael, a riff-based instrumental. The closer is called Weeping Bell, a heavy one with a doomy touch. Partly the music has to step back to give more space to the vocals. The song has symphonic elements and Max' reminds me a lot of Roy Khan, but he isn't copying him.

Fans of powerful heavy metal, melodic speed metal and symphonic metal should give the Ukrainian quintet a chance. It's their debut and I'm pretty sure that soon they will develop their own style and that the reminiscences get less. Looking forward to hear more from Morton!


8 stars

Claudia Ehrhardt
 

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