Ice Vajal :: Music Land :: Metal World
 
editorial :: feedback :: newsletter ::  
   Bands :: A-Z / R / RAM /

On disc: RAM



Lightbringer - Claudia Ehrhardt - 7 stars
Under The Scythe - Lars Bjørn - 7 stars


www.ram-metal.com







Under The Scythe

Under The Scythe
(High Roller Records - 2011)


Their album from 2009, Lightbringer, was not received with open arms by the critics, but RAM are preparing a new album and 2 new songs has come from them in a small EP called Under The Scythe. They have improved tremendously as their sharpness has been through a metal machine and now they do these two songs: Under The Scythe, real quality heavy metal with a good melodic flow and very fine guitar work. Evil is a song where they get some vocal assistance from black metallers Nifelheim's vocalist Hellbutcher. But otherwise it's RAM's own vocalist Oscar Carlquist who hammers the sound back to the early 80's with a deep traditional Judas Priest like metal sound and sublime voice in the spirit of Rob Halford in the special screaming technique that is so typical for Halford. I will look forward to more music from RAM, if these two songs set the standards for their coming work.


7 stars

Lars Bjørn
 

up








Lightbringer

Lightbringer
(AFM Records - 2009)


The band was founded back in 1999 and release in 2003 an EP called Sudden Impact and in 2005 their full-length debut Forced Entry on their own. The band of guitarist Harry Granroth played many shows and is now taking entering the next level. Lightbringer will be released in Europe by AFM Records and a US release will follow later this year.
The Swedish foursome is based in 80's heavy metal and true metal, the production supports the true metal sound as it isn't too polished. They open up with the intro Crushing The Dwarf Of Ignorance, then they head into the title track Lightbringer. The up-tempo tune has the authentic 80's vibe and guitarist Harry Granroth adds some typical riffs and leads. But its mainly singer Oscar Carlsquist who makes them sound 80's-like. Beside NWoBHM influences you can hear a bit Mercyful Fate in their sound, even if Carlquist isn't another King Diamond - and he doesn't try to. A true metal anthem is In Victory with it stomping beat, but I miss a sing along chorus... With Awakening The Chimaera they present a song which is definitely influenced by Mercyful Fate and this time Oscar is adding some King Diamond-like vocals. But there are also other influences audible. Slower, almost doomy, they show themselves at Suomussalmi (The Few Of Iron), but then they speed up and the song becomes a catchy mid-tempo rocker. Another break and a faster passage follows, back to the mid-paced part. Cool one! Time to push down the accelerator and with Blood God they offer a fast, Priest-ish track. And the following tracks show the wide range of RAM - and this variety is a great advantage for the band in my opinion. Next year RAM will play at the legendary Keep It True festival and they will fit in perfectly, so if you like true metal and NWoBHM sounds, then check out the Swedish! I recommend: Lightbringer, Awakening The Chimaera, Titan and Suomussalmi (The Few Of Iron).


7 stars

Claudia Ehrhardt
 

up

           ©2008-2014 by Claudia Ehrhardt • E-Mail: contact@ice-vajal.com


Bands R