ANIMALIZE
“Meat We’re Made Of”
Album Review by Iron Mathew

9.5/10

Animalize are a heavy metal band from France formed in 2014, releasing their debut E.P. ‘Tales From The Crypt’ in 2020, and their debut full length album ‘Meat We’re Made Of’ in 2022.

Influenced by such luminaries as Loudness, Tokyo Blade, and W.A.S.P. the French three piece from Lyon run riot over thirty fast paced and highly intense minutes of blazing speed and power. The bands new album storms into life with the explosive ‘Samouria de l’Univers’, combining all out speed with abrasive laden traditional heavy metal. The intensity of ‘Samouria de l’Univers’ is incredible, with the band layering aggression and urgency throughout the songs four and a half minute running time. What an immediate and in your face opening! The band powering on with the equally intense ‘Back From The Sematary’, albeit with a much more prominent melodic edge than the previous song. The classic sound of the NWOBHM galloping rhythm is highly evident, as Animalize push forward with pace, power and purpose.

An electrifying start to the album, Animalize maintain the fizz, crackle, and pop, with the anticipation filled one minute ‘If However You Can Last’ – leading straight into the speedster ‘Eternal Second’. The band have been firing on all cylinders since the album began, and show no sign of blowing up anytime soon! ‘Eternal Second’ a fabulous fury of fast paced, old school flavoured heavy metal. And residing just across the Channel from where heavy metal was born, Animalize have been able to observe metals evolution, and incorporate many of its great traditions into their sound. And boy what a great sound it is! Moving on swiftly, the band don’t pause for a single breath – ‘Pigs From Outer Space’ resonating with the classic guitar sound of the iconic NWOBHM. And the bands abrasive touch is once again running riot, adding a thrash like layer to the bands sound. And I have to mention the intensity again – top level stuff from the Frenchmen. At over six minutes in length, ‘Escorte Funebre’ is the longest song on offer. Featuring a mellow and suspense laden intro, ‘Escorte Funebre’ heads in the direction of ballad country, for the first minute and a half at least! Then anthemic metal takes over along with a hymn-like majesty, and ‘Escorte Funebre’ strolls leisurely forward – until it changes gears to race furiously to its end.

‘Meat We’re Made Of’ has been full of surprise twists and turns, and with three songs to go what’s not to say we’re in for some more! Scintillating speed lights up the album in the shape of ‘Saturday Night Witchcraft’ – the pace full of purpose and intent. And don’t forget the intensity…still at an extremely high level, and getting higher all the time. There’s just no escaping it, Animalize totally feral in their approach to heavy metal. The more melodic side of the band makes its presence felt once again – ‘The Witch You Are’ pounding the pavement with an infectious level off the fucking charts! What a phenomenal surprise this album has turned out to be – definitely one of the surprise releases of the year! Bringing the album to a close is the fastest song on offer, ‘Esprit de l’Asile’. Scorching pace combined with a “foot on the monitor” mentality, sees ‘Esprit de l’Asile’ roar to a finish, and bring down the curtain on a highly intense and furious album.

Overall, a fast paced roller coaster of infectious and highly melodic heavy metal, ‘Meat We’re Made Of’ is a belter of a debut.

TRACKLIST

Samouria de l’Univers
Back From The Sematary
If However You Can Last
Eternal Second
Pigs From Outer Space
Escorte Funebre
Saturday Night Witchcraft
The Witch You Are
Esprit de l’Asile

https://animalizeband.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/animalizeband/

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