Rage – The Devil Strikes Again
5th June 2016I wasn’t immediately sure what this album was making me feel. I was blasting it in my headphones while wistfully staring out the window when it hit me. It was nostalgia! Admittedly I’m not familiar with Rage’s previous body of work even though they’ve been smashing out their particular brand of Speed/Power metal since 1984, so it wasn’t a particular song that transported me, it was the tone and feel of ‘The Devil Strikes Again’ that took me straight back to my early teens, when my mates and I were first discovering metal and soaking up every vinyl we could lay our grubby little paws on. For me it’s reminiscent of simpler time, of cut off denim battle jackets and hand sewn band patches, when each riff didn’t have to be more technical than the last or heavy for heavy’s sake.
This release is unashamedly metal and proud of it. It confidently ploughs through all the elements you’d expect from an album in this genre, solid yet melodic riffing, tight fast drums, vocals delivered with passion and clarity, and of course, wailing gargantuan guitar solos. From time to time during its energetic 10 tracks, I feel the pace and energy falls a little flat and gives the impression of an experienced band going through the motions and playing by the numbers, However, there are elements of real flair and brilliance through out, especially in the aforementioned guitar solos and catchy, almost theatrical vocal hooks that are suitably slick and well constructed.
‘The Devil Strikes Again’ doesn’t break any new ground musically but I don’t believe that was the intention here. I feel the band set out to produce a balls to the floor, honest, authentic Heavy Metal album that’ll make you want slap new strings on your air guitar, bang your head in the rock pubs and clubs until your neck hates you and cause your foot to feel a fair bit heavier on the accelerator while driving. In that respect, Rage have succeeded admirably. It’s clear that a career spanning three decades has not diminished Rage’s passion for their craft, and with that in mind, the occasional lull in energy can be respectfully forgiven.
Score: 8 out of 10
ALBUM INFO.
Record Label.
Nuclear Blast.
Release date.
10/06/2016
Track list
1- The Devil Strikes Again
2- My Way
3- Back On Track
4- The Final Curtain
5- War
6- Ocean Full Of Tears
7- Deaf, Dumb And Blind
8- Spirits Of The Night
9- Times Of Darkness
10- The Dark Side Of The Sun
