Holier Than Thou Records

www.kingdomofdeadmen.com

On General Release

Black Rhapsody (album)

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Reviews

KINGDOM OF DEADMEN is a British Classic Rock/Metal band that plays the style with a more modern production, though with the spirit of the 60's and 70's. All members have acquired the necessary knowledge and experience over the years while playing in other bands. Earlier this year (26th april according  to RockRealms.com) they released their debut album, "Black Rhapsody", through their own label Black Rhapsody Productions, although Holier Than Thou Records decided to give the release the extra push in terms of distribution, which is how I acquired a copy of the album. The album's
lyrical aspect deals with issues like abuse, revenge, love, lust and  addiction summed up in the sad tail of "Wildflower", but unfolds in more detail within the rest of the songs. You'll find 10 tracks on this release, totalling a playtime of over 60 minutes, which is actually very long for a Classic Rock/Metal album.

"Black Rhapsody" kicks off with "Wildflower". An atmosphere of exotic influence is created. Mystery is added through the violin and guitar (well, it's a guitar-ish instrument, but I can't think of the name now). Afterwards the entire band falls in with a type of Rock that is reminiscent of bands like THIN LIZZY, RAINBOW and perhaps even JIMMY HENDRIX. Tony's clea, yet dirty vocals fit in perfectly with this kind of Rock. All is done very well and the you can hear the lads have the knowledge to do it properly. Even the guitar solo is proof of that. Halfway there's a break to let the vocals come
out better while the guitar shakingly adds some backing melody. Drums help to rebuild through heavy tomwork, creating a very nice rhythm. And so the whole rolls on and goes back to business. A solid track to open with. And so is "There Will Be Blood". This one has got more drive, more energy, sounds funkier. The rhythm stand out and the song was clearly given the stamp "Let's rock!". The vocals are rough-edged, as can be expected. Pure cleans would do damage, no question about that. It's Rock we're talking about, not Pop. The track's very linear, straight-forward with a simple chorus, i.e. the song title. Halfway there's a change, introduced by explosions. The music sounds Bluesier with a key role for the drums (toms). Guitar solos are not forgotten, thank goodness, and to make it more comple, light organ backing was added. Afterwards it's back to the chorus and so forth to the  end. So far, so very good.

"Falling Angel" is next, introduced by the organ. Punchy Rock follows in a direct and groovy manner. The overall feeling is one of having a good time. Yes, it rocks! Halfway, indeed, once more, the band decides to hit a sideway: organ first, then guitars and drums following the same melody, yet with a Rock touch. What's next? The obligatory solo. In general, another THIN LIZZY-ish kind of song. Or any other band along those lines. "Faith Hope Love" commences in a calm way with just the vocals and a shakey guitar tune in a serene and soothing atmosphere. Accoustic elements are added, while the electric power (incl. leads) is reserved for the chorus. Join the two and you get a semi-accoustic song. As usual, the performance is 1st class and that counts for the solo as well. No change halfway, but in the last part: the Rock elements are put to sleep and it's just the violin that plays the last notes in a sentimental composition.

MADE OF HATE has "Bullet In Your Head", KINGDOM OF DEADMEN opts for "Bullet In The Head". Considering the bandname, not an unlogical title. The music brings back the Rock to the tracklist. It's a midtempo track that sounds energetic, full of drive and allows the music to flow more freely in the bridge and chorus. Melody is important, not in the least through the vocals. This is definitely a highlight on this album and should be killer on stage. Solid from start to finish! "Losing Faith" has a wobbly guitarstart to begin soft and not throw the heavy tunes out instantly. These do follow soon enough with clean vocals. The instrumental aspect is again of high quality and the guitars appear to stand out more than before, not forgetting the o so vital solo. With "Judas Kiss" KINGDOM OF DEADMEN goes into a more Metal direction. The guitars sound heavier, sharper and this makes the song stand out from the other, more Classic Rock ones. For the sake of variety this is of course a good decision. The drums help with rhythm, grooves and fills. No real complaints here.

Time for some more Rock 'n' Roll then with "All Good". The tempo lies much lower than before, although the guitars seem to advance at a higher rate. The singing is where the melody is. Linearity is key, but at the same time the whole sounds rather monotonous and with the absence of solos, this is a song to forget. So it's not "All Good". With all these rocking songs, did the band think of a ballad? Yes and it's called "Black Rhapsody". The beginning is as expected: calm and relaxing with symphonic elements. The accoustic guitar and piano join in a bit later. Even if the heavier elements are added, the whole still remains a ballad. Here you do get solos again and there's even time to let the organ add input. Accoustic guitarwork is also very much present here. All in all, I don't question the skills and capabilities of the band, but this is damn long for a ballad, which doesn't help to really appreciate the song itself. Last but not least, there's "Lust For The Kill". This one has a Japanese sounding intro (flute), after which
the band falls in. Yep, music with balls! Tony's rough-edged singing spews out the lyrics once more. The keyboards come to the front to add accents, but overall it's the guitars and drums that dominate. Halfway the track all gets silent in favour of an atmospheric moment. The rebuilding occurs with guitars and marching drums and somehow I got an IRON MAIDEN feeling, which just goes to show that KINGDOM OF DEADMEN don't stick to one period, but traverse the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s... in terms of (Classic) Rock and Metal. Thought Of Metal May 2010

KINGDOM OF DEADMEN is a new band to my ears. It took me a while to appreciate their music and truth be told, I'm not entirely satisfied. Fans of this style (Classic Rock) might have a better ear or impression, but as good as it all sounds and no matter how solid the execution is - and it is! - many of the songs here are simply too long. Listening to "Black Rhapsody" from the first second to the last is a tough job, in my humble opinion. Picking out songs and adding them to a playlist with other bands wil of course make it easier to enjoy the tunes. Other than that, I've got no complaints at all. If you're into bands like THIN LIZZY, SANDSTONE, Y&T, and similar, the DEADMEN should be on your list.