Wasteland

Pentagram returns with Wasteland: their first original release since 2002's Bir, and since the departure of long time singer Murat Ilkan. Presenting a solid and heavy mid-paced effort that some may see as a significant departure from their established sound, there is still a clear Anatolian influence, both thematically and musically, but the style is a little more aggressive; more akin to a melodic groove metal style than most of their previous releases which hinged on thrash or power/folk styles.

The new singer, Gökalp Ergen, has a raspy voice which contrasts Murat's more melodic sensibilities and serves to really emphasize the aggression in the track and the lyrics. Gökalp's vocals flip between a shouted, almost screamed vocal, and at other times complement the riffing in this song by singing above the twin harmonized guitars with his own melodic phrases. Wasteland becomes a tense and anguished mood thanks to his pained and urgent delivery which in combination with lyrical themes that clearly reference unending conflicts in the near-East region could almost be described as a lamentation.

The drumming is tight and double-bass heavy, reinforced by very strong bass playing. The guitars are crunchy and serve extremely well to set the tone for the song's theme and pacing; when the bridge section slows down with some slow distorted notes that almost become dissonant as they sustain, the drums come back and kick everything back into gear before the solo screams with anguish and frustration and rebellion. Just like the flowing sands, this track is unrelenting.

There is some definite contrast between the style of this release and their discography up to this point but I don't think it's drastic enough as to alienate existing fans. The music has been reworked some but the attitudes and themes in the songwriting and the Anatolian melodies in the guitar work still remain -- an ever-present staple of Pentagram's style.