Tempestora
Sam from Tempestora recently dropped us a line about their album, The Battle Begins, to see what we thought of things. This 3 piece thrash/heavy metal band from Gloucestershire have already achieved the top spot on the Bloodstock Open Air Festival ‘Metal to The Masses’ regional finals, meaning they secured themselves a slot at Bloodstock itself. Writing music that’s aggressive, technical and fast, I was looking forward to checking out what this 8 track album held in store for me.
Opening with Relentless we’re immediately set off to a fast paced melee of hammering guitar lines and pounding drums, the whole mix held together by a roaring vocal leaving the listener defenceless to do anything. Fast and powerful from the off, there’s a definite sense of thrash running through the music yet it’s beyond that, it’s more complex leading to a sound which will get you moving, get your head banging and make you want to get out see these guys live. It’s easy to see why Tempestora have secured a slot with the Bloodstock people, the music wouldn’t sound out of place next to the likes of Slayer or similar, setting the bar high from the off. I loved the solo on this track, testament not only to the bands song writing skills but also their musicianship.
Moving into New Age Dawns, the hard hitting approach continues once again, this time launching straight into circle pit territory and getting things moving from the off. The powerful drumming on this track combines with the hammering guitar lines to form a sound which is going to leave venues as nothing but dust following their live shows – sure this is full on, but it’s impossible to resist. Melodic despite the all out nature of the track, this is yet another quality track from the Gloucestershire lads, already demonstrating that this is going to be an album to get your hands on. Halls Of The Slain doesn’t offer us any reprise on the aggressive front, once again launching you head first into the bands distorted mix of elements. Syncopated drum beats pummel away throughout this track adding a further sense of power and technicality to things, turning what could be a simplistic metal track into something more, something which challenges you to try and understand the bands style.
Conquering The Masses follows on next and once again, dares to push the boundaries of raw power to another new level. The drumming which opens this track is quite simply phenomenal, throwing out rolling double bass from the off and keeping a fast, frantic beat throughout. Once again the band have managed to keep a sense of melody running through things on this track, allowing the music to break through the distortion and lure you in to listen harder. This is one of my personal favourite tracks on the album, there’s just something about it which makes me want to get out to a gig and thrown down with these guys, talk about full on aggressive music. Too Blind Too See keeps this idea going, once again creating a track which is surely built for the live stage. Slower in some senses, this is a track which has simplicity at its heart, yet will still hit home with anyone who hears it. Powerful, aggressive, distorted, melodic, raw – quite simply this track is everything you could possibly want from a metal track – and it’s been done damned well. The same can be said for Wrath Of The Repentant, another track which holds old school thrash at its heart and doesn’t fail to deliver what you would expect. Fast, powerful and technically advanced, we’re 6 tracks in and things show no sign of slowing down!
Sanity Deprived marks a sudden change in the approach to the album, slowing everything down to a basic bassline to open things and suggesting we’ve been transported to a far more simplistic and dark place for a track. This all changes though when the riff kicks in, hammering out with power that even the most well known thrash bands would be proud of. Soon returning to the frantic and full on approach which has made this album stand out so far, this is another serious highpoint on the album, and a moment which, to me, secures these guys as an act that you need to look out for. Closing the album with A Bloodline Broken, there’s one last chance to bear witness to the technical genius that is Tempestora, closing on a serious high note and forming a track full of intricate lead lines, pounding drums, rumbling bass rhythms and insanely distorted riffs. Closing as it began, it’s hard to see how this album could be bettered, other than having more tracks on it!
Tempestora – well – what can I say other than wow? Every now and then I come across an album which is really difficult to write about as simply, there’s too much to say about it meaning I could go on and on for pages and pages. With Tempestora that’s the case, and to be honest I could have explained my thoughts in a few very simple words – wow, this is awesome.
It’s bands like this which made me want to start Loud-Stuff, a true band you NEED to hear.
To find out more about Tempestora, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls
Opening with Relentless we’re immediately set off to a fast paced melee of hammering guitar lines and pounding drums, the whole mix held together by a roaring vocal leaving the listener defenceless to do anything. Fast and powerful from the off, there’s a definite sense of thrash running through the music yet it’s beyond that, it’s more complex leading to a sound which will get you moving, get your head banging and make you want to get out see these guys live. It’s easy to see why Tempestora have secured a slot with the Bloodstock people, the music wouldn’t sound out of place next to the likes of Slayer or similar, setting the bar high from the off. I loved the solo on this track, testament not only to the bands song writing skills but also their musicianship.
Moving into New Age Dawns, the hard hitting approach continues once again, this time launching straight into circle pit territory and getting things moving from the off. The powerful drumming on this track combines with the hammering guitar lines to form a sound which is going to leave venues as nothing but dust following their live shows – sure this is full on, but it’s impossible to resist. Melodic despite the all out nature of the track, this is yet another quality track from the Gloucestershire lads, already demonstrating that this is going to be an album to get your hands on. Halls Of The Slain doesn’t offer us any reprise on the aggressive front, once again launching you head first into the bands distorted mix of elements. Syncopated drum beats pummel away throughout this track adding a further sense of power and technicality to things, turning what could be a simplistic metal track into something more, something which challenges you to try and understand the bands style.
Conquering The Masses follows on next and once again, dares to push the boundaries of raw power to another new level. The drumming which opens this track is quite simply phenomenal, throwing out rolling double bass from the off and keeping a fast, frantic beat throughout. Once again the band have managed to keep a sense of melody running through things on this track, allowing the music to break through the distortion and lure you in to listen harder. This is one of my personal favourite tracks on the album, there’s just something about it which makes me want to get out to a gig and thrown down with these guys, talk about full on aggressive music. Too Blind Too See keeps this idea going, once again creating a track which is surely built for the live stage. Slower in some senses, this is a track which has simplicity at its heart, yet will still hit home with anyone who hears it. Powerful, aggressive, distorted, melodic, raw – quite simply this track is everything you could possibly want from a metal track – and it’s been done damned well. The same can be said for Wrath Of The Repentant, another track which holds old school thrash at its heart and doesn’t fail to deliver what you would expect. Fast, powerful and technically advanced, we’re 6 tracks in and things show no sign of slowing down!
Sanity Deprived marks a sudden change in the approach to the album, slowing everything down to a basic bassline to open things and suggesting we’ve been transported to a far more simplistic and dark place for a track. This all changes though when the riff kicks in, hammering out with power that even the most well known thrash bands would be proud of. Soon returning to the frantic and full on approach which has made this album stand out so far, this is another serious highpoint on the album, and a moment which, to me, secures these guys as an act that you need to look out for. Closing the album with A Bloodline Broken, there’s one last chance to bear witness to the technical genius that is Tempestora, closing on a serious high note and forming a track full of intricate lead lines, pounding drums, rumbling bass rhythms and insanely distorted riffs. Closing as it began, it’s hard to see how this album could be bettered, other than having more tracks on it!
Tempestora – well – what can I say other than wow? Every now and then I come across an album which is really difficult to write about as simply, there’s too much to say about it meaning I could go on and on for pages and pages. With Tempestora that’s the case, and to be honest I could have explained my thoughts in a few very simple words – wow, this is awesome.
It’s bands like this which made me want to start Loud-Stuff, a true band you NEED to hear.
To find out more about Tempestora, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls