RAM - Death

RAM are actually growing more and more popular with each release, and they could actually be dubbed as one of the leaders in the sudden blast of Swedish heavy metal bands. Their sound is quite similar to the sound of their fellow countrymen Portrait, In Solitude and Trial. Their growing popularity is probably one thing that renews and replenishes their quality, and now that they're signed to Metal Blade Records, you'd expect them to act with more caution and produce even better material then before, maintaining the solidity of their music. I can't really say this whether this is a step back or an improvement compared to the previous album, but I couldn't really feel the whole of RAM's potential bursting out of its veins. They've definitely cultivated the might and power of their riffs and they've found perfect old school traditional heavy metal spot to land their music to, but other than those aspects, this album isn't flawless.

For a start, many tracks can't really attain a distinguished sound, but I suppose the sharp delivery of the vocals and shrewd drumming makes up for those minor gaps. Yes, if you're into pure energy and power then for the most part, ''Death'' may be a good fit for you, but for listeners who delicately investigate every single detail and aspect, then the album may not be that near to excellence. Tracks like ''Defiant'' or ''Release'' me are your one way tickets to a time ride going back to the late 70's and early to mid 80's, having a certain accent and some Judas Priest worshiping done right. Once the groovy riffs are nailed right they sound absolutely great, chunky, catchy chugs and gallops accompanied with thumping drum beats from behind and maybe an occasional melody lingering about, boasting the velocity and energy of the riffs. RAM have definitely captured that old school heavy metal sound, but when it comes to projecting it perfectly on every aspect and keeping the whole balance of the album even, the band does have a few gaps here and there that eventually start to eat through the good bits of the album. Some highlights are left gnawed and slightly eroded due to the big flaw when linking together two separate sections in songs, but fortunately the gnawing and biting scarcely effects the overall performance of the album.

There are some truly stellar stand out tracks on the album like ''Defiant'' or ''Flame Of The Tyrants'' that are tracks which definitely should capture a good number of traditional heavy metal dorks right away, and I'm not even omitting the thrash laden intro assault on ''...Comes From The Mouth Beyond'', but I feel the biggest gap on this album is the number of unnecessary riffing and sequences that bind other riffs together. ''Frozen'' speaks for itself, its monotonous chugging and desolate clean arpeggio sections lead by an array of classy mini solos should almost be reminiscent of the 80's doom metal sound, with a tinge of classic heavy metal, obviously. The musicianship doesn't make me gape, but the nice combination multiple, simple aspects can bind together at times to form something that's fairly intricate. The vocals are strong and ear shattering all the same, and their presence is always noted, never agitating, so it covers a large portion on the negative qualities that the album possesses. Had more songs like ''Release Me'' or ''Defiant'' been made, then the album could have surely risen to larger heights, but right now, what it already present is very good, and still leaves many modern heavy metal bands running for their money.

Highlights:
Defiant
Release Me
Flame Of The Tyrants


Rating: 83,5%