Cold Fate - Update
We featured Cold Fate a while back when they sent us through some tracks, so when they sent through the rest of the tracks from the album I figured it was only right we check them all out! Based on what I heard before I knew this was going to be one heavy yet intricate journey, so what of the rest of the album?
No Love Lost matches their other tracks perfectly, opening with a thrashy guitar line pinned together with an intricate lead line and sludgy bass line. The whole mix forms something which gets you moving, makes you want to be in a pit moving in circles and tearing a venue apart. What’s striking on this track is how powerful the drumming is, it pounds away whilst the hammering guitar and lead lines soar over everything. The vocals are gravelly and powerful, adding in a sense of the bigger thrash bands out there, making this another example of a track which has been carefully crafted to provide the listener with an experience rather than just a track to kick back to.
Ashes To Ashes on the other hand marks a sudden change in the mood of the album, opening soft with acoustic guitar and a Spanish style lead line, the mix sounds akin to the likes of Battery from Metallica or more recent Machine Head. Powerful yet restrained, the vocals are almost faded out on this one, allowing the music to do its job over everything else – and then it drops. Launching into another powerful melee of rolling drums and distorted guitar lines, the track is one which is not only melodic, but also mind blowingly heavy. Apocalypse follows on with the heavy theme, continuing to throw heavy riffs and powerful lead lines out at you. Once again focusing on the guitars, the bass here serves to back up the powerful mix whilst the drums adopt a galloping beat, surging the track onwards. Demonstrating their technical ability, once again we’re treated to lead line after lead line, bass deep enough to shake your rib cage and enough drums to flatten a town.
Final track, The Edge Of Hell continues the all-out distorted approach of the album, throwing down with a sludgy riff designed to get those pits moving once again. Powerful, heavy and straight to the point, this is a track with no messing about, just enough power to get every single person in the venue moving along. Closing the last few tracks on a high, this final hurrah leaves a salty taste for the band lingering in your mouth, making you want to hear more and more, and suggesting that this is a band who need to get over to the UK to tour!
What these final few tracks have done is demonstrate a band who have got a clear style, a clear approach and a solid amount of ability in their arsenal. Powerful yet technically advanced throughout, this is an album which follows all of the key conventions of thrash metal yet makes it sound updated for a new generation – one to watch out for.
No Love Lost matches their other tracks perfectly, opening with a thrashy guitar line pinned together with an intricate lead line and sludgy bass line. The whole mix forms something which gets you moving, makes you want to be in a pit moving in circles and tearing a venue apart. What’s striking on this track is how powerful the drumming is, it pounds away whilst the hammering guitar and lead lines soar over everything. The vocals are gravelly and powerful, adding in a sense of the bigger thrash bands out there, making this another example of a track which has been carefully crafted to provide the listener with an experience rather than just a track to kick back to.
Ashes To Ashes on the other hand marks a sudden change in the mood of the album, opening soft with acoustic guitar and a Spanish style lead line, the mix sounds akin to the likes of Battery from Metallica or more recent Machine Head. Powerful yet restrained, the vocals are almost faded out on this one, allowing the music to do its job over everything else – and then it drops. Launching into another powerful melee of rolling drums and distorted guitar lines, the track is one which is not only melodic, but also mind blowingly heavy. Apocalypse follows on with the heavy theme, continuing to throw heavy riffs and powerful lead lines out at you. Once again focusing on the guitars, the bass here serves to back up the powerful mix whilst the drums adopt a galloping beat, surging the track onwards. Demonstrating their technical ability, once again we’re treated to lead line after lead line, bass deep enough to shake your rib cage and enough drums to flatten a town.
Final track, The Edge Of Hell continues the all-out distorted approach of the album, throwing down with a sludgy riff designed to get those pits moving once again. Powerful, heavy and straight to the point, this is a track with no messing about, just enough power to get every single person in the venue moving along. Closing the last few tracks on a high, this final hurrah leaves a salty taste for the band lingering in your mouth, making you want to hear more and more, and suggesting that this is a band who need to get over to the UK to tour!
What these final few tracks have done is demonstrate a band who have got a clear style, a clear approach and a solid amount of ability in their arsenal. Powerful yet technically advanced throughout, this is an album which follows all of the key conventions of thrash metal yet makes it sound updated for a new generation – one to watch out for.
Cold Fate
Perth based thrash metal outfit Cold Fate recently dropped us a line to let us know about their new album ‘Figures In Black’, to see what we thought of it. Having formed in 2007 but undergone numerous line up changes which have left the two founding members the constant, the band have drawn influence from the likes of Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer and Overkill to craft their own take on the Thrash genre. I figured that since they’d taken the time to get in touch, it was only right I check out what was on offer from these guys for myself! (Note – we’re waiting on a full copy of the album so for the initial review we’ll only be looking at the tracks which are available on the bands Facebook page).
From the opening notes of Long Live The King, there’s a real sense that there’s going to be a lot of intricacies within the music, the lead lines from the guitars roving around over the hammering drum and rumbling bass line which greets you. Throwing into the urgent and powerful vocal lines, the whole mix takes on a real sense of raw aggression, forming a track which immediately makes you want to get up and get a pit going no matter where you are. Following the predefined conventions of thrash to an extent, there are moments on this track which become a little predictable, but they’re made up for by the moments which catch you off guard such as the rolling double bass towards the end of the track. In all, as an introduction to a band – this does what it says on the tin and gets you in the mood for what’s to follow!
Moving into title track, Figures In Black, the whole mix carries on galloping forwards and creating a sound which you can’t help but want to play at full volume. Showing off their influences from the likes of Slayer, there’s a real sense of old skool thrash here which, given the state of most of the current thrash bands, is a real pleasure to hear! Unrelenting until the moment the track comes to a close, this track solidifies the bands status as a new figure on the thrash scene, and one which is going to have to be looked out for! Cast The Stone continues the theme, once again launching head first into a hammering melee of soaring guitar lines and pounding drums before ushering in the most downright sludgy and powerful riff you’re likely to encounter this side of anywhere. Throwing in some more lead lines just to make sure you’ve not forgotten there’s a lead guitarist in the house, the track once again resumes its distorted journey through things, pulling you along for the ride.
Closing the selection on the bands FB page with Bloodlust, everything throws down for one last chance before leaving you to catch your breath. Of all of the tracks available on the bands page I think this one is my favourite. There’s something about this track which once again gets you moving and makes you want to see these guys live, hinting at the energy which you can expect from the stage show which these guys can offer. As a closing track it does what it needs to do and leaves you wanting more, something which I’m looking forward to listening to.
I’ve heard of Cold Fate before, mainly through a conversation I had with someone who played guitar with them, although I must confess that at the time I was very, very drunk – but still it’s good to hear the music finally. As a band, there’s been numerous line up changes and that’s always going to have an effect on the sound which a band can produce, and to an extent I think there’s been some of that here. Now, that’s not meant as a criticism as what it’s done is brought different elements into proceedings and presented tracks which demonstrate a range of influences, my one comment would be solo overkill at times, but then again it’s thrash – so it’s meant to be! I look forward to hearing the full album soon so I can comment on the thing as a whole, but in the meantime, get out there and check them out!
To find out more about Cold Fate, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls
From the opening notes of Long Live The King, there’s a real sense that there’s going to be a lot of intricacies within the music, the lead lines from the guitars roving around over the hammering drum and rumbling bass line which greets you. Throwing into the urgent and powerful vocal lines, the whole mix takes on a real sense of raw aggression, forming a track which immediately makes you want to get up and get a pit going no matter where you are. Following the predefined conventions of thrash to an extent, there are moments on this track which become a little predictable, but they’re made up for by the moments which catch you off guard such as the rolling double bass towards the end of the track. In all, as an introduction to a band – this does what it says on the tin and gets you in the mood for what’s to follow!
Moving into title track, Figures In Black, the whole mix carries on galloping forwards and creating a sound which you can’t help but want to play at full volume. Showing off their influences from the likes of Slayer, there’s a real sense of old skool thrash here which, given the state of most of the current thrash bands, is a real pleasure to hear! Unrelenting until the moment the track comes to a close, this track solidifies the bands status as a new figure on the thrash scene, and one which is going to have to be looked out for! Cast The Stone continues the theme, once again launching head first into a hammering melee of soaring guitar lines and pounding drums before ushering in the most downright sludgy and powerful riff you’re likely to encounter this side of anywhere. Throwing in some more lead lines just to make sure you’ve not forgotten there’s a lead guitarist in the house, the track once again resumes its distorted journey through things, pulling you along for the ride.
Closing the selection on the bands FB page with Bloodlust, everything throws down for one last chance before leaving you to catch your breath. Of all of the tracks available on the bands page I think this one is my favourite. There’s something about this track which once again gets you moving and makes you want to see these guys live, hinting at the energy which you can expect from the stage show which these guys can offer. As a closing track it does what it needs to do and leaves you wanting more, something which I’m looking forward to listening to.
I’ve heard of Cold Fate before, mainly through a conversation I had with someone who played guitar with them, although I must confess that at the time I was very, very drunk – but still it’s good to hear the music finally. As a band, there’s been numerous line up changes and that’s always going to have an effect on the sound which a band can produce, and to an extent I think there’s been some of that here. Now, that’s not meant as a criticism as what it’s done is brought different elements into proceedings and presented tracks which demonstrate a range of influences, my one comment would be solo overkill at times, but then again it’s thrash – so it’s meant to be! I look forward to hearing the full album soon so I can comment on the thing as a whole, but in the meantime, get out there and check them out!
To find out more about Cold Fate, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls