IRAE MELANOX

Irae Melanox is one of the masterpieces of the history of epic/power metal. No doubt about this...If this LP had a good production then it could easily stand next to the best albums of Manowar,Warlord,Jag panzer,Gargoyle etc.The band managedto make its own personal sound and that is something very few undeground 80s bands achieved in the history of heavy metal. Adramelch is part of a group of immortal undrground metal bands that although they didn't become known to the metal world, their quality was as high as Iron Maiden,Metallica,Helloween,Queensryche etc (e.g metal gods like Exodo, Leather Nunn, Hammeron,Breeze Least, Surrender, Legend (france), Dark Quarterer, Venin, Excalibur (spain), Black Knight etc

I was approaching this album with a very substantial amount of scepticism. I am not a fan of progressive metal. In particular progressive metal from the late 1980s and early 1990s.

This is Adramelch's debut album, released in 1988. It has just been re-released by the band themselves with a bonus CD with earlier material. But I am concentrating my review on Irae Melanox.

It is pretty obvious that speed metal was a major influence on Adramelch. To be even more precise; the German, more melodic version of speed metal. This album cannot be compared to Reign In Blood (of Slayer) at all. Adramelch played speed metal infused with progressive rock and progressive metal. That and some church music you will find played in the many cathedrals in Italy. It is a special mix of metal Adramelch did on this album.

It is also a surprisingly good album too and one of the better albums from that period. The songs are powerful, but yet melodic. There is an undercurrent of RPI and symphonic church music (Johan Sebastian Bach) in their music. The songs are pretty long and well developed. The vocals are an acquired taste, but slightly tiresome. The guitars sounds a bit dated. The bass and drums are keeping the music honest.

The best tracks here by far is Zephirus and the title track. Both tracks draws in a lot of influences from other genres. There is a couple of slightly dubious tracks here too. But this is still a very good album which should really appeal to the progressive metal fan out there. In particular the new luxury version with the bonus CD. This is not an album I would rate as great, but it is in the same area. If I had reviewed this in 1988, it would had been a five stars album though.

3.5 stars