2007
Cruz del sur
North Carolina based band Widow would initially seem to be a band that would be right up my alley. Their sound is firmly founded in the 1980's, their cover looks like an 80's album and the band themselves even look like they walked right out of 1987. In fact I listened to this album some seven times hoping to find something I could say really set them apart. Widow play a style that's maybe 80% classic style metal and 20% early speed metal. I would say the music is comparable to bands like Omen and Savage Grace with some traces of early Iron Maiden and Crimson Glory. The playing and the vocals are largely competent and they waste little time getting into the heart of the music. It's very much pure metal and most of the songs are fairly short and to the point. However there were two items that troubled me about this album. One is the lack of heaviness on the album. It's solid metal, but the production and maybe lack of definite hooks make it sound a little thin. The bigger problem was that I kept asking myself what is there that about Widow that sets them apart from their influences? The answer is very little or perhaps not enough. So even though they go through the paces well, there just isn't enough going on here to set this band apart. There just isn't enough here to make me reach for it instead of reaching for an album by one of the 80's band that are trying to emulate. It's above average, but I think they need try harder and dig deeper on the next album to try and define their sound rather than just mixing the sounds of others.
The band's site is here http://www.widowusa.com/
I have similar thoughts on this one, although I couldn't here much other than some deep love of Iron Maiden coming through. I thought it was a decent enough album on the whole, certainly an enjoyable listen that may lack longevity yet let down by a couple of ill-conceived covers to close the album. I was concerned that on my review copy these wern't noted as bonus tracks - did they run out of material,inspiration or time I wonder?
ReplyDeleterock of ages-Their is a definite Maiden influence, but in some ways it sounded like Maiden by way of other bands. The covers were not noted as bonus tracks on my copy either. This is the band's third album and the first I have heard. I believe they had a female singer on the previous album. It would be interesting to hear how they sounded then. Their labelmates Slough Feg play an older style of metal, but they blend it nicely and bring their interpretation. Widow just didn't seem to be doing enough to make themselves stand out.
ReplyDeleteI think they tried to update their sound by mixing the growling and clean vocals, but it came off as forced. In that sense, I think they're a little bit worse than a band who just tries to rehash the past. In a sense, it's good that they tried something, but they should have recognized that it didn't work.
ReplyDeletebob- I have not heard their previous albums so I don't how this one compares. I was hoping for more though and tried to find it, but there just wasn't enough there.
ReplyDeleteSorry, I didn't mean update from their previous sound, but update the 80s sound they draw upon. Either way, you're right though, there wasn't much.
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