Deadlock Earth Revolt CD

Deadlock create a bit of metallic high drama on the opening intro of Earth.Revolt, "Demonic (Tonus Diabolus)" before careening headlong into the lengthy nu-metal meets old-school hard rock of "10,000 Generations in Blood." Lead singer Johannes Prem is wailing early and often but is often drowned out by the guitars of Sebastian Reichl and Gert Rymen. The female harmonies add a relaxing touch and reprieve from the hard rock style, making it more majestic or elegant particularly during the closing. For the most part though it is classic metal riffs that weave a fine musical thread throughout. The chore for such a song is to maintain its relevance over eight minutes, and by the fifth minute, they up the ante by giving way to the rapid-fire licks of their guitarists. On the shorter tracks, Deadlock are typical nu-metal, with some different approaches like using keyboard or ethereal touches buried underneath guitars on "The Year of the Crow" that brings to mind Metallica overdosing on the Red Bull energy drink. "Everlasting Pain" takes no prisoners and is one of the best songs offered, with a hellacious drum beat and the dual guitarists playing perfectly off each other before taking it down with a music box dancer piano, bringing to mind Faith No More albeit fleetingly before returning to the metal brawn. The title track is perhaps the most radio-friendly, with a hard, beefy chorus and a decent hook built throughout. Another asset is how Reichl and Rymen show off their chops without going over the top or doing it just for the sake of doing it. This is exemplified on "Awakened by Sirens," which has a different hue thanks to the female vocals bouncing of Prem's guttural wails. The mammoth "May Angels Come" is 11 minutes of classic metal riffs in the vein of Judas Priest and Iron Maiden before hitting a fine yet tame head-banging groove from the onset. Almost symphonic in its approach and meticulousness, the song is extremely soothing for a metal tune. Deadlock can shift tempos easily with the ease of other groups like System of a Down. As a result it makes for a good listen. ~ Jason MacNeil

Deadlock: S. Weniger (vocals, keyboards); S. Reichl (keyboards).