Raise Hell - Wicked Is My Game
Nuclear Blast, 2002
This is the third thrash metal attack titled Wicked Is My Game from the Swedish band Raise Hell. I was a big fan of their previous effort, Not Dead Yet, so I was really eager to hear their new stuff but after the first listen I was a bit disappointed. Actually we can say they produced a more mature album but as a result of being mature they lost some of their wild energy I loved so much on NDY.
Of course they still play thrash metal in their own fresh style but somehow I don't feel like going nuts for their new album. They slowed down in some way and with this change their specialty, that pulsating, stamina sound has gone away. I don't feel the kind of power I got used to on NDY. No mistake, it's still an energetic piece of thrash metal but I miss that extra wildness that put them high above average. I miss those fantastic rolling drumbeats that made your heart kick with them together. The music is more structured now, at least you can find some kind of order in them. They use more tempo changes now and in some of the songs they sound heavy as hell. These heavy, catchy rhythms in 'Devil May Care' and 'Destiny Deceiver' will give a good time for head banging maniacs for sure. I specially like that short bass-solo piece (not often heard with any band) in the middle of 'Destiny Deciever'. That was a great idea to combine the bass and solo guitar solos together. You just can't stop yourself to turn the volume louder and louder until the glasses start to tremble in the cupboard.
This album has been made in the vein of the early days of thrash metal spiced with their freshness and more melodies but far not so original as NDY was. I like the guitar riffs very much in this album but somehow the whole album can't catch me, the album falls into pieces. Some of the songs sound just like the song before. Though I like 'Hellborn', 'Nightwatcher', 'Wicked Is My Game' and the above-mentioned two songs very much so you can say I almost like the whole album, but these are still outstanding tracks. While I felt blown away by NDY, I feel that WIMG is just a normal thrash album. I also have a little problem with the sound (the album was recorded in the Flat Planet Studios and their producer was Anders Fridén from In Flames) that is a weak and thin.
Fortunately Jonas Nilson's voice kept its unique wildness. He sounds like a young animal kept in a cage, aggressive and desperate, like somebody who doesn't have anything to lose. His voice is perfect voice for thrash metal, filled with extreme passion. Yes, you are right, he is my favourite singer in this genre. He has the voice that gives the rebellious feeling to this music.
There was a big step between Holy Target(1998) and Not Dead Yet(2000) and there is a perceptible difference between Not Dead Yet and Wicked Is My Game too, that we may call natural development. Maybe my expectations were too high, maybe I need time to get into this album more. We'll see
Ps: I like the cover very much, it looks cool and original, cold and hot at the same time. The band members look calm but they are also ready to break out
Tracklist:
1. Hellborn
2. Nightwatcher
3. The haunted House
4. Wicked is my Game
5. In my Cell
6. Another Side
7. Death Race
8. Devil may care
9. Destiny Deceiver
Length: 45:37
Raise Hell
Nuclear Blast
Nuclear Blast, 2002
This is the third thrash metal attack titled Wicked Is My Game from the Swedish band Raise Hell. I was a big fan of their previous effort, Not Dead Yet, so I was really eager to hear their new stuff but after the first listen I was a bit disappointed. Actually we can say they produced a more mature album but as a result of being mature they lost some of their wild energy I loved so much on NDY.
Of course they still play thrash metal in their own fresh style but somehow I don't feel like going nuts for their new album. They slowed down in some way and with this change their specialty, that pulsating, stamina sound has gone away. I don't feel the kind of power I got used to on NDY. No mistake, it's still an energetic piece of thrash metal but I miss that extra wildness that put them high above average. I miss those fantastic rolling drumbeats that made your heart kick with them together. The music is more structured now, at least you can find some kind of order in them. They use more tempo changes now and in some of the songs they sound heavy as hell. These heavy, catchy rhythms in 'Devil May Care' and 'Destiny Deceiver' will give a good time for head banging maniacs for sure. I specially like that short bass-solo piece (not often heard with any band) in the middle of 'Destiny Deciever'. That was a great idea to combine the bass and solo guitar solos together. You just can't stop yourself to turn the volume louder and louder until the glasses start to tremble in the cupboard.
This album has been made in the vein of the early days of thrash metal spiced with their freshness and more melodies but far not so original as NDY was. I like the guitar riffs very much in this album but somehow the whole album can't catch me, the album falls into pieces. Some of the songs sound just like the song before. Though I like 'Hellborn', 'Nightwatcher', 'Wicked Is My Game' and the above-mentioned two songs very much so you can say I almost like the whole album, but these are still outstanding tracks. While I felt blown away by NDY, I feel that WIMG is just a normal thrash album. I also have a little problem with the sound (the album was recorded in the Flat Planet Studios and their producer was Anders Fridén from In Flames) that is a weak and thin.
Fortunately Jonas Nilson's voice kept its unique wildness. He sounds like a young animal kept in a cage, aggressive and desperate, like somebody who doesn't have anything to lose. His voice is perfect voice for thrash metal, filled with extreme passion. Yes, you are right, he is my favourite singer in this genre. He has the voice that gives the rebellious feeling to this music.
There was a big step between Holy Target(1998) and Not Dead Yet(2000) and there is a perceptible difference between Not Dead Yet and Wicked Is My Game too, that we may call natural development. Maybe my expectations were too high, maybe I need time to get into this album more. We'll see
Ps: I like the cover very much, it looks cool and original, cold and hot at the same time. The band members look calm but they are also ready to break out
Tracklist:
1. Hellborn
2. Nightwatcher
3. The haunted House
4. Wicked is my Game
5. In my Cell
6. Another Side
7. Death Race
8. Devil may care
9. Destiny Deceiver
Length: 45:37
Raise Hell
Nuclear Blast
