| Reviews for Bloodbound's Tabula Rasa |
| This album is sexy. - 96% |
| Written by Empyreal
on June 13th, 2009
|
| Wow, talk about a complete turn around. The first album I heard from Bloodbound was actually Book of the Dead, which sounded good at first but did not age too well at all. So I kind of wrote these guys off for a while, which was, of course, a mistake: their debut full length Nosferatu was simply a bastion of fun and enjoyable hooks for anyone's consumption, and their newest, Tabula Rasa is just first-rate on all fronts. First off, let's talk about the front-man. Urban Breed is, and always will be, a first rate singer and songwriter. It's obvious that this band wasn't nearly as good without him at the helm. His voice is clear, powerful and muscular, and he has a huge range of styles that can lend themselves to different music with ease - just compare Tad Morose's groovy, traditional style with Breed's hard rock animation found on Nosferatu, and then to the more futuristic, controlled voice he exhibits on this album. His ear for melody is superb, always spot-on and always catchy as hell. Just listen to some of the songs on here, pick any one at random, and you're guaranteed to find a good hook to sink your ears into. And the songwriting, too! I don't know who wrote what on here, but the band has undergone a major stylistic shift here from worshiping the past of 80s rock and metal to embracing the future. Gone are the massive, creamy, rocking hooks of the old days, replaced with an influx of stodgy, dark riffs and a cool, crispy sense of coherence and control to every note. This is a very polished album, with a lot of charm and pomp to it beside the metallic edginess that makes this stuff so good. Every song jettisons along with a kicking tempo and a killer sense of melodic intricacy. The guitars are snappy, the bass is thumping and crackling away, the drums are powerful and everything just sounds first rate. There is a Gothenburg tendency to the riffs, but I think the clean, melodic vocals they support give them a fresh edge here, and Bloodbound's songs are just written well enough for them to sound completely awesome, anyway. Right from the opening synths of "Sweet Dreams of Madness," the band captivates, as the song quickly swirls into an enigma of stomping guitar acrobatics and a massive chorus that you'll be singing all afternoon. "Dominion 5" careens out of the speakers with a massive hook and a truly captivating melody, and the staccato riffing on "Take One" is an instant ear-catcher in itself. "Night Touches You" is the first genuine surprise; an emotional ballad with bleak chords exploding into ultra-melodic clean guitar lines that might genuinely touch you. It's really quite a superlative song, and one of the standouts in an album of standouts. The double-part title track is just addictive as hell, and then "Plague Doctor" rocks out with a killer groove and the biggest chorus on the album. "Master of My Dreams" is a darker number with some interesting vocal effects on the chorus, and "Twisted Kind of Fate" is an old school Power Metal romp in the traditional Tad Morose style - I'd wager Breed definitely wrote this one! "All Rights Reserved" closes the album with a triumphant hook and a menacing, defiant groove to the rhythm section that will leave you wanting to play this one again. It's just impossible not to listen to this and be amazed; there's just too much good material on it. If you like Power Metal or just metal, or even just rock in general, it will be hard to pass up Tabula Rasa. One of the year's finest. |
| Urban breed brings Bloodbound back from obscurity - 90% |
| Written by Andromeda_Unchained
on May 15th, 2009
|
| It's hard to believe this is the same band who recorded the marvelous Maiden-tinged Nosferatu, or the good yet riddled with filler Book of the Dead. With the return of the legendary Urban Breed to the microphone, Sweden's Bloodbound seem to have ushered in a new sound. Long gone is the almost 80's rock-like sound of its predecessor. Tabula Rasa is a much darker affair blending Gothenburg-like riffage with power metal leads, brilliant song structures and haunting hooks. Urban Breed really delivers here – what did you expect though? He's the fucking man. There's nothing more heart-warming than to see a band you'd nigh on written off to defy all expectations and record the album of their career. Heavy in all the right places but never sacrificing the melodies that had made their debut album such a charming ordeal, it seems Bloodbound have finally found their place in the metal world. Guitarists Tomas and Henrik Olsson have really stepped up their game on Tabula Rosa, raging throughout the album with Goliath chugging, punishing their fret-boards with highly melodic leads and tearing the whole place up with smoldering shredding. Pelle Åkerlind drum battery really keeps the band in check, performing a wild flurry of furious double bass and pounding rhythms with bassist Johan Sohlberg deftly following the blueprint laid down via Åkerlind. A special mention of course goes to the subtle use of keyboards courtesy of Fredrik Bergh, never becoming over-powering or ridiculously cheesy. Obviously Urban Breed needs no introduction, having torn things up on their debut album, he returns for round two, delivering a performance we haven't seen the likes of since his days in Tad Morose. Tracks such as the incredible "Take One", both parts of the title track and personal highlight "Twisted Kind of Fate" just show how far Bloodbound have come along; the pace rarely lets up. The sole ballad on offer "Night Touches You" is actually pretty damn good, opened with a stunning guitar solo and some Melodic Riffage, Urban Breed really puts on a great show; proving his worth as a first class singer. With next to nothing to complain about, this should be added straight to your wish-list, fantastic performances all around and really strong tracks is the name of the game. All killer and zilch in the way of filler marks a first for Bloodbound. These guys seem to have found their stride and their place in the metal world, sounding both equally confident and proud. You'd be a fool to deny this release. 2009 is just proving better and better as the months go by. Highly Recommended Originally written for http://www.metalcrypt.com |
| I Like the Direction This Band is Headed - 86% |
| Written by pinpals
on May 12th, 2009
|
| Bloodbound first came to attention in the metal community because it was fronted by vocalist Urban Breed, who had recently departed from Tad Morose. Their debut, "Nosferatu," was pure power metal worship, which confused some people since many band photos featured them in corpsepaint. After their debut, Breed left the band and Bloodbound released another album, which was more in the vein of hard rock. For “Tabula Rasa”, however, Breed is back, splitting time between Bloodbound and Pyramaze. The first thing that one will notice when listening to “Tabula Rasa” is the metamorphosis that Bloodbound has undergone. On their previous two releases, the band wore their influences on their sleeves, resulting in much of the material sounding derivative. Now the guitar riffs are more prominent and the songs in general are heavier. This is definitely a benefit because it adds an extra dimension to the band’s sound. Breed’s vocals are different here than what they have sounded like in the past. Gone are the over-the-top wails from the past that sounded out of place and instead we have a much more mature vocal approach that is less self-indulgent and benefits the songs as a whole far more. There are plenty of guitar solos to keep the shredding fans happy, and the rhythm section provides a competent, if not spectacular, backing. Bloodbound are definitely showing promise. I wonder whether this band or Pyramaze will be Breed’s full-time band, because I would be happy to see either of these bands in concert. Regardless of what the answer is, “Tabla Rasa” is essential for fans not only of power metal, but heavy metal in general. (Originally published at http://www.metal-temple.com) |
| A Band Out For Blood - 80% |
| Written by nosferatwo
on April 12th, 2009
|
| The new Bloodbound album is puzzling, since none of their three albums bear much of a similarity. "Nosferatu" was a lush piece of traditional power metal worship, with Urban Breed delivering the songs in his smooth yet powerful voice. "Book of the Dead" was a slightly more rock oriented album, with Michael Bormann's ragged voice taking the sound in a different direction. With Urban back in the band, any thoughts that they would return to the sound of "Nosferatu" are put to rest in the first few seconds of the album. "Sweet Dreams of Madness" kicks off with an angular riff, and for the rest of the ten tracks, we are given a new Bloodbound to consider. If "Nosferatu" was their traditional power metal album, and "Book of the Dead" was their more modern power metal album, "Tabula Rasa" is something that defies labels. The guitars cut through the mix with a more biting tone, playing chunky riffs more concerned with heaviness than melody. The galloping that carried much of the first two records is all but gone, replaced with playing that resembles the new wave of melodic death metal. But anything the guitars may do to change the sound has done nothing to Urban or his melodies. He elevates the songs, giving the band the power that they were lacking in his absence. His vocals are still tremendous, but lack some of the clarity of his previous outings both with Bloodbound as well as Tad Morose. Songs like "Sweet Dreams of Madness" and "Dominion 5" ride on hooks as good as anything the band has put out before, and "Plague Doctor" is a slight change of pace that dials back the aggression for a stirring chorus, but the majority of the album is content to flex its muscle rather than weave twin-guitar melodies as they had done before. "Tabula Rasa" is a different beast that its predecessors, but it still retains enough of the band's core to be Bloodbound. The shift towards agression over melody is interesting, and if the band loosens up the songs a bit next time, they could very well be on their way to finding a sound that they can ride for years to come. |