Black Trip covers a lot of ground with the three songs it
just released as the “Heart of the Dream” EP. The disc opens with a string
quartet and closes with a short, fierce jab of vintage-sounding metal. In
between, the band puts its own stamp on progressive and power arrangements, and
Gennaro Ammendola’s dark, submerged vocals even bring in a flourish of death
and grind.
“Voice of Truth” and the title track showcase Black Trip’s
smart arrangements (the biggest giveaway that this quartet was founded at Berklee
College of Music). Drummer Jeff Hale sounds relentless on the song “Heart of
the Dream,” providing a common thread as the rest of the band darts in and out
of elements you’d find in thrash and power-metal tunes. The strings that open
the tune resurface midway through as a nice counterpoint to Ben Levin’s guitar
leads.
“Voice of Truth” likewise has a tiered arrangement, but this
time, the rhythm section conjures a more dramatic sweep, and the band transitions
from the prog-thrash of the opener to a more classic style of headbanging.
“Wings of Steel” is the shortest of the three songs and the
one that shows Black Trip unafraid to just go for the jugular with a burst of
guitar riffs and aggressive attitude.
No comments:
Post a Comment