Angel Dust - Bleed

Angel Dust was one of those speed/thrash bands that came out in the early 80s and then disappeared. Ten years later they re-emerged with an overhauled update in sound as well. Appearing once again, with a fresh take on German power metal, they released "Border of Reality" and now their follow-up release, "Bleed". Its being called "power metal" because that their sound is like, but yet its not like that at all. "Bleed" is something of a progressive/power hybrid. There are no in-your-face vocals, no velveeta cheese dripped lyrics about the warriors of metal uniting to fight those who oppose them or some such, no double bass drum attacks, yet there is a very distinct sprinkling of a 'power' sound over this offering by these German musicians. And the overall sound is very dark, thick and crunchy, but with a soft, delicately haunting core. Imbedded within are beautiful keyboard melodies, rich in tone and executed in just the perfect places. Its fresh, different, and inviting. For a band that sounded like just another average group of thrash kings, Angel Dust has come a long way.

The musicians are deadon, with some very tight playing. Vocals are pretty unique, powerful with just the very slightest hint of grit at times, but come off to be extremely clean and clear. This guy has one of those screams that just sounds like its ripping the throat wide open, deep and powerful. There's a slight hint of a German accent there. Definitely not any 'wussy' vocals here. Guitar riffing is tight, very crunchy with a fierce dark edge to the riffs. Its in the axeattack that reveals the band's thrashier past the most. Piano playing is very nice, as well. Lyrically, its very dark release, with songs dealing with everything to the question of religion, drug abuse, mental torment, and hatred. In the songwriting department, they have stepped it up several notches since "Border of Reality", which was their first release to signal their return to the metal world. Extremely tight songwriting here, the significantly noticable piano melodies that have been slid into this heavy mix of often thrashy sounding metal, never sound forced, out of place, or tacked on. All elements flow together very well considering the varied sounds they have at work here. Angel Dust has definitely secured themselves a place alongside some of the 'heavier' power metal outfits, like Symphony X and Iced Earth.

"Bleed" begins the album with one of those gorgeous piano melodies. Breathtaking, quickly and delicately darting around, delightfully inspiring and light, before breaking off into a hard, heavy rocking crunch fest with edgy riffs in the vien of Iced Earth's in-your-face riffing, and that piano keeps cropping back up, to add a very unique feel to the song. Huge chorus here too, it really blasts wide open, to invite the casual power listeners right in. Its not speedy but there is heaps of heaviness in here. The addictively classy crunch of "Black Rain", with its thick and catchy chorus, and riproaring burst of viruosity a little over halfway through, puts it in the lead as being the best tune of the album. Unforgiving hatred and blames put upon the one who is the very focus of the song, fuels the punchy tune "Sanity", which offers up another killer chorus. Beautiful piano melodies are strung all throughout this song, gorgeous stuff, that takes it into another dimension and adds so much more emotion to the songs. Not only does it help define their sound as that little something that makes it unique, but it gives the overall package extra impact. "Liquid Angel" takes the melodic side of the band to another level. Strumming acoustic, lulling piano and a very bare bones approach, comes out to be beautiful, which is the climbing point for a climatic chorus. The end takes advantage of alot bass for a spanish guitar influenced solo with wild keys, which tapers down into an emotional high that fades to end. "Addicted to Serenity" rips and tears at a power metal pace, not unlike bands such as Gamma Ray or Helloween, and gets heavy and crunchy at times, borrowing a little from Iced Earth. The vocal delivery here is varied, edgy with a mocking tone, or straight and belted right out. Again, there's the light and fluffy piano melody that shows up several times in the oddest places. Some gothic synth sounds inserted here and there add to the darkened feel throughout this tune about drug abuse.