Diabolic Symphony

Here’s the second attack with vocalist Ronny Hemlin as vocalist. Just like the last albums, we get heavy/power metal, but not the usual kind of flower power metal. And this time around, the guys have also added on some dark and mystical keyboardplaying. There are bands out there that uses keyboards way too much, and in the wrong way. Steel Attack uses it pretty much in the songs on this album, but in the right way..and as I said, they only make the songs darker and cooler sounding. The band makes a awesome performance, Ronny is singing fucking great as usual, and man it fits the music great of course. We have the guitar session spitting out heavy and great riffs (and a hell of a great solopassage on “Show Me The Way”). The bass, well it can absolutely be heard, and the bassplayer does what he should do, give more heaviness to the song. And also new drummer Tommy shows some cool skills, a bit more creative than former drummer Mike. And in general the album has a heavy production (they have improved with the production in the faster parts).

The album has some really great songs, but pretty much of fillers too. Let’s begin with the great ones. The first, and titlesong “Diabolic Symphony” is easily one of the better on the album, with a dark atmosphere, heavy riffs and really great melodies, they also did a video for this one. Good choice. The second song, the speedier “Dead Forever”. Awesome song with the album’s best pre-chorus + chorus. The pre-chorus with it’s awesome “Now it is time to bleed for your sins”, Ronny voice in that part is so strong and gives a excellent picture of his awesome vocals. The third and mid-tempo “Shallow Seas Of Hatred”. Heavy and great intro and verses, though a pretty lame chorus. “Embraced By Fear”, the fifth song. A speedier one with cool verses and a kind of “soaring” chorus (it actually begins with that word too). After that “Invisible God”. Heavy once again, and with a really melodic chorus, but it kicks ass. The ninth song “Show Me The Way”, has similiar verses like the titletrack, but diverses because of Ronny’s kind of singing on this song. The chorus is a cool one, and as I mentioned in the beginning the solo part is great and without doubt the best solo on this album. Good thing also is that it’s not a short solo but a fairly long one. Then we have “I Bow My Head In Shame”, hard riffing, but calm & melodic in the verses. The verses are OK, but the song’s strong parts lie in the pre-chorus and chorus (a heavy one). The last song on the “better side” is the last song “The Other Side”. Heavy song (again!) with a maybe too long and melodic, but still pretty good chorus. In any way, a nice song to end the album with, both musical and lyrical.The other songs I haven’t mentioned now is in my ears fillers. They just feel way too uninspired and uninteresting. You think it’s a bad excuse or something ? Well then, listen to for example “Haunting” and then we’ll see if you haven’t heard it thousands of times before.

Overall; there are 8 great songs out of 12 on this album. And most of the “good” songs are great, and I have a very hard time deciding which album is best between this and “Enslaved”, but in the end I must say that “Diabolic” wins. Just because it’s heavier, has more good songs, better production, better drumming + the dark sounding keyboards. And also, awesome cover and the logo is at least better than the one on “Enslaved”. I really hope Steel Attack will get some success with this album, if not, I would be very surprised ! Recommended, yes.

Best songs: Diabolic Symphony, Dead Forever, Show Me The Way

Out of the flames of immortal hate, Steel Attack return with their 5th CD just 2 years after their descent from the gates of heaven. I have fervently followed this band ever since Mr. Schaeper first enticed me with his copy of their debut and decided to show me the way...one way to Heaven - one way to Hell, a mere sick, set 6 years ago. So much has changed since the awakening when this band once embraced my forsaken soul. Unfortunately, each follow-up CD release just mislays more than it's founding members, and is bereft of burgeoning buoyance. The plague thrashing defenders of the crown plagiarize and placate, and continue to espouse a more homogenous harangue and flaccid fashion for metal, mimicking and following the holy sign of Angel Dust, which tends to be a tad morose. I have relished each release, yet each listen makes me more reluctant to purchase their next endeavor. On their third CD 'Predator of the empire', I felt that with this reliquary, the band had finally found their recondite rendering. This was the meticulous mixing of irate riffing with menacing metonymy. Hapless hoping, as again this was just not the case, considering that the ensuing epic evolved into an entirely new entourage. The vicarious vicissitudes for this band has become quite irksome for me, and a chaotic query as I wrestle and recoil, desparately attempting to abide by thier capricious capitulations. Presently, they have released another CD which is quite similar to their predecessor; although this time they are not enslaved to the the low Testament tactics and never taciturn vexing vocals.

This diabolical diatribe is a symphony of destruction, as each of the 12 songs really showcase the band's talent and ability to write memorable songs. Where Steel attack fails mankind is in their ability to remain consistent. The band must dwell in a reality unknown, embraced by fear as each song lyrically indicates their wrangle with wanton servitude for an invisible god. The opening title track is really rapid and invincible, exhibiting nocturnal tales of mystery and imagination and rites of the afterlife with the rectitude of recollection. Songs like "Show me the way" and "Sanctimonious" are total burners blazingly performed by these (un) holy swordsmen who share the black fate of their compatriots hellbound Nostradameus, seriously shredding with hooks that are out of this world. As the haunting voices arise from the darkness, like a nightmare, I either must be dreaming or dead forever. With each prospective auscultation, I'm instantly reminded of the new order of savage souls whose deception of hate, now make them the master of sins. Mystic Prophecy have found their sound even without mainman Gus G.; whereas Steel attack are still attacking all the wrong songs of a thousand souls. There exist no meager non-metal tracks on this new CD; but none of the compositions are really overrunning either. I make amends for seeming to sound sanctimonious, but I feel this band have fallen into the madness of infinite regress. Where are the wings of faith that once carried them on the shoulders of the Swedish metal elite?

The Heavy Metal God grunts, "I am the beast and I bow my head in shame, Steel Attack are devolving into an assemblage of atrophy and entropy. Lo, they must make up their metal minds once and for all, or else on judgement day I will send them to the Dragon's Skull and in the village of Agabha they will face the furious spirit of death - the creation of Be-lou, then they will be banished to the point of no return on the other side, the forgotten land reserved for the forsaken; a cursed land, the true winter hell; never to sail the holy sea of gold!".

As originally posted at www.metalcdratings.com