RAGESeasons of the Black

It’s only been fourteen months since The Devil Strikes Again, the first release from founder Peter ‘Peavy’ Wagner and his new lineup in German heavy metal band Rage, but don’t let this deter you as the band are on a roll and they show no signs of slowing down.

Peavy, alongside Marcos Rodriguez on guitar and Vassilios Maniatopoulos on drums, wanted to set about recapturing the original Rage sound from the nineties and the band have nailed it with this record. There are chugging riffs, sing-a-long anthemic style choruses, melodic parts and groove laden tracks reminiscent of End Of All Days and XIII, but there’s also enough of the new influences from the new members to make you realise that Rage have entered an exciting time in their musical journey.

Some of the standout tracks definitely include Serpents in Disguise which is a catchy tune that will get stuck in your head, but also the heavier Blackened Karma which features some decent vocal abilities from Peavy as he hits the higher notes, moving away from his normally rougher styles in the chorus.

All up, if you are a fan of Rage and have been waiting to see if Peavy would deliver on the promise to go back in time with their sound, then you will not be disappointed. Alongside his new bandmates you can hear the difference in their playing, they seem more relaxed and it sounds like it has become a hell of a lot more fun again for all of them. Make sure you grab a copy and keep an eye out for the bonus CD featuring re-recorded classics from the Avenger days and the 1985 EP Depraved To Black. It’s a bonus fans do not want to miss out on.

STICK THIS NEXT TO:  Blind Guardian, Stratovarius, Refuge
STANDOUT TRACKS: Septic Bite, Serpents In Disguise, Blackened Karma