Chinchilla - The Last Millenium
Metal Blade Records - 2002
By Philip Whitehouse
Go to the Chinchilla web site.
Go to the Metal Blade Records web site.
The old school returns with a vengeance with Chinchilla's latest assault on the metal scene, and it's packing more advanced weaponry.
Playing traditional, straight-forward heavy metal in the classic vein with the benefit of modern production techniques and keyboard finery, Chinchilla start off their metal assault with the rampaging 'War Machine' - twin-guitar harmonies abound, the drums pound away solidly as the bass does it's groundwork, and the keyboards add melody and occasionally get to have a little solo of their own. The very end of the track has the chorus line repeated one last time with some very cool-sounding phase effects on the vocals, which adds a nice contemporary edge to the old-school metal on offer.
Third track 'Demons We Call' begins with the keyboards laying down an almost black-metal melody, which is quickly over taken by another classic riff and some particularly vicious vocals. And the Chinchilla boys even pay homage to the old greats with a cover of Thin Lizzy's 'The Boys Are Back In Town'. Sadly, the cover does very little justice to the original, adding some youthful energy and harsher distortion and very little else. But luckily Chinchilla's own material stands up pretty well for itself.
The problem is that, despite the modern touches, the album still sounds somewhat dated, and Chinchilla don't do anything particularly outstanding to retain your interest. It's a decent album, but not quite an essential purchase and certainly not something that will hold your attention for too long.
6/10
Metal Blade Records - 2002
By Philip Whitehouse
Go to the Chinchilla web site.
Go to the Metal Blade Records web site.
The old school returns with a vengeance with Chinchilla's latest assault on the metal scene, and it's packing more advanced weaponry.
Playing traditional, straight-forward heavy metal in the classic vein with the benefit of modern production techniques and keyboard finery, Chinchilla start off their metal assault with the rampaging 'War Machine' - twin-guitar harmonies abound, the drums pound away solidly as the bass does it's groundwork, and the keyboards add melody and occasionally get to have a little solo of their own. The very end of the track has the chorus line repeated one last time with some very cool-sounding phase effects on the vocals, which adds a nice contemporary edge to the old-school metal on offer.
Third track 'Demons We Call' begins with the keyboards laying down an almost black-metal melody, which is quickly over taken by another classic riff and some particularly vicious vocals. And the Chinchilla boys even pay homage to the old greats with a cover of Thin Lizzy's 'The Boys Are Back In Town'. Sadly, the cover does very little justice to the original, adding some youthful energy and harsher distortion and very little else. But luckily Chinchilla's own material stands up pretty well for itself.
The problem is that, despite the modern touches, the album still sounds somewhat dated, and Chinchilla don't do anything particularly outstanding to retain your interest. It's a decent album, but not quite an essential purchase and certainly not something that will hold your attention for too long.
6/10
