Dream Evil fans have dreamed (yes, bad pun intended right off the top) for the past seven years for new music from the band, and last weekend, the band made those dreams become reality when it released its latest album, Metal Gods. The band’s seventh full-length studio recording, it proves a solid new offering from the veteran power metal outfit. That is proven in part through its musical arrangements, which will be addressed shortly. The lyrical themes that accompany the noted musical content adds to the engagement and entertainment in its own right. It will be discussed a little later. The record’s production puts the finishing touch to the whole and will also be examined later. Each item noted is important in its own way to the whole of the album. All things considered they make the album another strong addition to this year’s field of new hard rock and metal albums.
Metal Gods, the latest album from Dream Evil, is a presentation that is certain to appeal to the band’s established audience base. This is proven throughout the record in part through its featured musical arrangements. The arrangements in question are largely familiar territory what with their blend of power metal and heavier material. Right from the record’s outset, audiences get that blend in the record’s title track. The heaviness in the instrumentation and the operatic style vocals of front man Niklas Isfeldt makes this song such a hard-hitting composition that fits in easily with so many other heavy works out there today. ‘Chosen Force,’ which immediately follows, is a much purer power metal work, as is the album’s third entry, ‘The Tyrant Dies at Dawn.’ The choral style vocals and the instrumentation immediately lends the overall composition to comparison to works from the band’s fellow Swedish metallers in Sabaton.
On another note, ‘Fight in the Night,’ which serves as one of the album’s singles, lends itself to comparison, stylistically speaking, to various works from the likes of Metallica. As if that is not, the subtleties in ‘Born in Hell’ can actually lead to comparisons to works from Iron Maiden. By now, the diversity in the arrangements’ overall metal presentations forms a solid foundation for the album. But the interest does not end there. Perhaps the most interesting of all of the musical arrangements comes in the record’s penultimate entry, ‘Night Stalker.’ The arrangement opens with a distinct groove metal style riff much in the style of Lamb of God. That riff is subtly incorporated into the song’s choruses as an accent, adding even more to the interest. The way in which the band manages to expertly balance that alongside its more familiar power metal leanings here makes the whole such an interesting work in itself. It is just one more example of how much the album has to offer audiences, musically speaking. When it is considered alongside the other arrangements examined here and that whole alongside the rest of the album’s entries, the whole makes Metal Gods well worth hearing if only for its musical material.
The musical arrangements featured throughout Metal Gods are collectively not the only positive to the album’s presentation. The record’s lyrical themes are of their own interest. ‘Masters of Arms’ is just one of the songs that serves to support that argument. That is because it comes across as an allegorical sort of presentation that ultimately delivers a familiar message of personal strength and determination. This as Isfeldt sings in the song’s lead verse and chorus of a warrior prepared for battle. He sings, “I’m out in the cold/I’m ready to fight/My armor’s on/I’m ready/I’m strong as an ox/I’m a master of arms/Nothing will stand in my way/I can smell their growing fear, alright/I will take them one by one/In the night/You’re in my sight/And I’m locked and loaded/If you survive/It’s not for long.” This is a clearly resonant statement and just as accessible. He continues the warrior’s self-assurance in the song’s second verse, “I’m hunting you down/I’m coming for you/You’ll never hear me coming/If you see me/It’s already too late/You won’t remember me.” Dream Evil is hardly the first band to craft such a lyrical theme/message. But that aside it is still as welcome here as in those other cases. It will help move anyone facing adversity from those people who want to hold them and others down; those bully types of all ages. To that end, it is a powerful statement and equally powerful example of what makes the album’s lyrical themes important to its presentation.
‘Insane,’ which comes even later in the album’s run, is another example of that importance. Much as with ‘Masters of Arms,’ this song’s theme takes on someone who is a negative force in others’ lives. This as Isfeldt sings in the song’s lead verse and chorus, “Get out of my sight/Get out of my life/I don’t want to feel your presence/The damage you’ve done/I can’t overcome/You’re to blame/You thought I was fooled/That I didn’t know/That you could do whatever/But you were wrong/You are the fool/I know/Don’t wanna see you/Don’t wanna hear your name/Don’t wanna feel you take my hand.” This is pure, unadulterated “I do not forgive you” anger that so many people have felt. Whether in romantic personal relationships or plutonic – those people who claimed to be friends but were in fact wolves in sheep’s clothing – those people have led to many to think and speak very similar thoughts. So again, that familiarity and accessibility is sure to engage and entertain plenty of listeners. Isfedlt continues the song’s theme in the second verse, singing, “You are insnane/Don’t ever say my name/Just take the shame/There’s no one else to blame/So stay away/Don’t want to see your face/You are insane/So leave me be.” Taking in these straightforward statements is sure to help so many people when they deal with those toxic individuals addressed here. Keeping that in mind, the whole here is another clear, strong example of the importance of the album’s lyrical themes.
The lyrical theme in the album’s opener/title track is one more example of the noted importance of the album’s lyrical content. In this case, it is a straightforward tribute to metal and its role in a person’s own development and growth. It pays tribute to the likes of Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Manowar, and so many metal acts in general, with Isfeldt singing of those many bands, “They started a fire deep down inside…Bow your heads down to the righteous and mighty Metal Gods.” Those bands truly are Metal Gods. So are the likes of Metallica, Anthrax, Testament, and a handful of others. For Dream Evil, which has become a favorite in its own right to pay homage to those other bands makes this song such a great anthem and tribute to the bands that came before and laid that groundwork. When this great honorarium is considered alongside the other lyrical themes examined here and that whole is considered along with the themes in the album’s other works, the whole therein leaves no doubt as to the importance of the album’s lyrical content.
When the lyrical and musical content featured throughout Metal Gods are considered collectively, they give audiences more than enough reason for audiences to take in the record. They are only part of the record’s appeal, too. Its production rounds out its most important elements. The production takes into full account the heaviness of each song’s arrangement, ensuring no one musician overpowers his companions at any point. At the same time, their performances never overpower the vocals, either. The result is a record that is just as appealing for its general presentation as for its content. To that end, the production puts the finishing touch to Metal Gods and makes the album that much more appealing for metal audiences and more specifically Dream Evil’s established audiences. It makes Metal Gods one more welcome addition to this year’s field of hard rock and metal albums.
Metal Gods, the seventh album from Dream Evil, is a largely positive new offering from the veteran power metal outfit. That is due in part to its musical arrangements. The arrangements stand out in that while Dream Evil is known as a power metal act, they are not limited only to power metal from one to the next. Yes, the band’s familiar power metal leanings are there but they are complimented at times with some other metal influences, too. The whole makes for plenty for audiences to like. The lyrical themes that accompany the album’s musical arrangements makes for its own engagement. That is because it is so familiar and accessible. The record’s production rounds out its most important elements, ensuring a positive listening experience for all of the content contained herein. Each item examined here is important in its own right to the album. All things considered they make Metal Gods a welcome new offering from Dream Evil.
Metal Gods is available now through Century Media. More information on the album is available along with all of Dream Evil’s latest news at:
Website: https://dreamevil.se