Generation Enraged

Angellic Rage is another 80s progressive power metal band hailing from the midwest. Though they were one of the acts with enough staying power, where-wtih-all and luck to manage a string of demo material releases, AR vanished into oblivion until releasing their materials as a bona fide full length LP in 2009. The album contains a lot of material - 12 tracks in all, of beautiful melodic progressive metal, featuring great vocal phrasing and time signature changes, clear, crisp production, well crafted, rich guitar passages and cool drum work. The songs are quite consistently of high caliber, and come across rich with professionalism and laced with veteran expertise. The bands sound is clearly allegiant to the second wave, US prog power scene of the late 80s/early 90s, with parts of Lethal, New Religion, Queensryche and Siren coming through, along with a palpable peerlessness to the sound, not to mention a lot of 90s-ness present.

Tracks like 'Total Suspect' display somewhat of a Queensryche vibe, with great, clear vocals reminding me of Crimon Glory's Midnight, or Geoff Tate, while tempo changes and brilliant, crisp guitars drive things along. In the interestingly titled 'Futura', we have more of a Dream Theatre-ish, rock vibe coming through, with slower tempo, and less metallic overtones. There are ballady sections of course, 'Stuck in Confusion' interspersing some deep lyrical moments with very 90s riffs and basswork. Contrasting this, are the more metallic, crunching numbers like 'Final Sacrament' mash up some Crimson Glory-ish deliveries, with some Dream Theatreish vibes, with enough parts 80s metal, and 90s tinges to keep things pretty interesting and unique. Other heavier tracks include 'Pained', which while crunching, is very much entrenched in the early 90s style of metal, and 'Industrial Genocide'.

An electic mix of progressive metal here, with a variety of rock and metal influences combining for a unique record, showcasing a very inventive band, that with all its progressivisms has not abandoned its metal credentials, as bands of this broad subgenre often become so close to doing. Talented guitar sections, classic solos, and very strong vocals, as well as a skilled rythhm section, which locks things down tightly, keep this record on track. Fans of progressive metal should check it out, particularly if you enjoy not only the 80s classics like Siren, Invid, Halifax, Crimson Glory and Fates Warning, but also some of the later, rockier stuff like Dream Theatre and Conception. It's quite hard to pick favourite tracks on this one, but a listen to a good chunk of, or indeed the entire record will leave your ears and metal-lust satisfied, particularly if you enjoy bands with their own quirks and inmitable style.

-DeathRiderDoom