Greensleeves-The elephant truth

Self-produced
2009


Brazil's Greensleeves were founded in 1993 and they have persevered and evolved on their way to creating this disc. Now they are liked to be lumped under the progressive or progressive- metal label and that might be the most appropriate category if I were forced to choose one. However they bring more to this album as there is classic metal, melodic metal, melodic rock and even thrash. What's more is the fact they are quite competent at all of the above forms. To top it all off they can slap these styles together that may seem like pieces of a puzzle that don't fit, but they manage to make the parts fit. The results is 70 minutes of very honest and intriguing metal that busts ahead and takes your attention along with it. Not every part is going to be accessible to everyone, but there is a lot to enjoy. The album has a concept to it based on a poem by John Godfrey Saxe. The lyrics follow the life of a man in a coma and put in parts from the poem. The idea adds to the slightly offbeat approach of the album. If there is a complaint it's that although they mix up the pace and styles they don't always change the tones as much as I was expecting. Still there is certainly more than enough here to please fans of this genre.