SWEEPING DEATH
“IN LUCID”
Album Review by Iron Mathew

8/10

Sweeping Death are a progressive metal band from Germany formed in 2012, releasing their ‘Astoria’ E.P. in 2017. ‘In Lucid’ is the bands debut full length album and was released in 2018.

Atmospherics, dynamics and epic melodies adorn the debut album from German progressive metallers Sweeping Death. Mixing traditional heavy metal with thrash and death metal traits, ‘In Lucid’ (the album) is a varied and intriguing listen. Opener ‘Eulogue’ is a one minute keyboard led, atmospheric intro, giving way to the foot tappingly infectious and head noddingly addictive ‘Blues Funeral’. A heavy stomper, ‘Blues Funeral’ is a heady mix of metal, rock, blues and the mildest touch of death. With only nine songs on offer, stretched over a fifty minute play time, the album contains a number of long songs, including one that chimes in at a mesmerising ten minutes! The album moves swiftly on with the more energetic and lively ‘Horror Infernal’. A rampaging romp of rough riffs, ‘Horror Infernal’ is much heavier than ‘Blues Funeral’, displaying a leaning towards the thrash metal genre, along with a growling, snarling and throaty rasp of a vocal delivery. The ten minute offering is ‘Suicide Of A Chiromantist’. Chugging into life, guitars rip the airways to shreds, the vocals up the aggressiveness and bring a menacing feel to the album. Despite its ten minute play time, ‘Suicide Of A Chiromantist’ doesn’t lose the listeners interest as it swings beautifully through a number of metal genres, including the legendary and iconic NWOBHM…

…’Purpose’ is the shortest song on offer, and is an instrumental, led by sweeping keyboards that are both mellow and atmospheric. A major departure from the rest of the album, ‘Purpose’ acts as a midpoint, and allows the listener a breather from the intense heaviness. A heaviness that hits hard with ‘Resonanz’, a punchy and aggressive six minute plus march, meandering through a high number of metal/rock genres, including the epic, hard rock and the Megadeth style of attitude laden thrash. This is an album that will most definitely appeal to a wide ranging audience, such is its diversity and varied approach to musical direction…

…a direction that takes a turn toward the modern rock sound as ‘Antitecture’ strides into view and pounds its way on. With its imperial, almost regal marching style, ‘Antitecture’ is hard hitting and will appeal to a young audience. The title song ‘In Lucid’ strolls in with haunting keyboards and acoustic guitars setting it on its way, before the heaviness drops in hard, with ‘In Lucid’ turning into a heavy hitting, aggressive, snarling and snappy attack. Riffs bludgeon the listener as ‘In Lucid’ marches on its way, displaying the aggression of thrash alongside the sweeping dynamics of the progressive metal genre. At eight minutes in length, ‘In Lucid’ is relentless in its assault and is the best song on offer. Bringing the album to a close is the lively ‘Stratus’. The heaviness is kept in check a little, the vocals cleaner than any heard elsewhere on the album, and ‘Stratus’ rocks the album to a bustling end.

Overall, a wandering meander of heavy hitting, genre boundary spanning metal and rock that will appeal to a very wide audience.

TRACKLIST

Eulogue
Blues Funeral
Horror Infernal
Suicide Of A Chiromantist
Purpose
Resonanz
Antitecture
Lucid Sin
Stratus

http://sweepingdeath.com/
https://www.facebook.com/SweepingDeath/

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