METALIUM - "STATE OF TRIUMPH - CHAPTER TWO" (MASSACRE)
Metalium's first effort, released late last year, was quite impressive. The new follow-up, "State of Triumph - Chapter Two", has been released quite quickly after the original. The line-up saw Caffery and Terrana leave, to be replaced by Jack Frost and Mark Gross respectively. The drumming in particular is less subtle, more of the woodshopper variety. Still, not too bad.
Subject-wise, the second album continues where the first left off - the glory of metal, never surrendering, chosen ones, that kind of thing.
The songs once more form a collection of well-produced true metal tracks, from anthem-esque tracks such as "Years of Darion" to the thumping "Break Out", and the heavy thrasher "Erania" to the usual (and superfluous) ballad "Prophecy". "Erania" in particular is a fine track.
Weak link, again, is Henning Basse. Although I can stand his voice better now than the first time 'round, he's just not really my cup of tea (nor, to stick more to their themes, my favourite keg of ale). In the bonus track, John Miles' "Music", he particularly fails to sing the highest bits well (other than that, this is a most excellent cover of a cool original).
Another good album once you've grown to stand Basse's voice.
RK
Written July 2000