Sinner - There Will Be Execution


Year of Release: 2003
Label: Nuclear Blast
Catalog Number: NB 1035
Format: CD
Total Time: 43:10:00

There is something infectious about the aggressive rumble of heavy metal. Everything played full throttle leads one to ? well, if you're driving, to speeding along the highway? to treating even surface streets as the Autobahn. It carries you along and you care not a wit whether the song makes sense or even, in fact, if you can understand a single word being sung (I'm talking about clarity of the singer, not language). It's the driving power that is front and center, the words behind it secondary. This describes Sinner and There Will Be Execution. This is heavy metal pure and simple. Execution yes, but rendered by a rusty, broken serrated-edged knife not a fine, well balanced sword. Death, as it were, does not come in one fell swoop, but hacked and sawed at as from a drunken lumberjack. There are 11 tracks on this CD and pretty much that describes all 11 (that doesn't speak to the production, as that's fine).

Make no mistake, Sinner aren't billing themselves as a prog metal band and I have no illusions that they are (though I did notice that Allmusic.com does). In some cases, rhythmically, I'd say they are on par with Judas Priest's "Another Thing Coming," that same kind drive, especially in "Requiem For A Sinner". "Die On Command" seems to rip-off Metallica's "Enter Sandman" and "Don't Tread On Me" mightly, except that Metallica were much better at it. Listen to the chugging guitars and bass, one guitar adding that little extra "sump'n sump'n", and the drumming ? though it is Henny Wolter (guitar), Tom Naumann (guitar), Mat Sinner (bass and vocals) and Fritz Randow (drums) you'd swear it was James Hetfield, Jason Newstead, Kirk Hammett and Lars Ulrich.

Where Sinner depart from Metallica ? but still very much like others in the genre -- is in the vocals of Mat Sinner. Though Mat has voice that is coarse and husky, instead of sounding like Hetfield, he reminds me of AC/DC's Brian Johnson. I don't really hear Frank Rössler's keyboards at all, such that if hadn't looked at the credits I wouldn't have known there was a keyboardist in there. Guitarists, yes, as solos and flourishes pop up all over, and I suppose some of the solos compare with the guitar solos in prog metal releases (ex. "Die On Command"), but the sonic assault provided by percussion and bass disguise well those proggy elements. Two final notes on the Metallica comparison -- Sinner's first release, Wild N' Evil came out in 1982, just a year before Metallica released Kill 'Em All. The first edition of TWBE was released in Germany as a double CD featuring Metallica's "Wherever I May Roam" (along with two other bonus tracks).

The "The River" is darkly, melodic piece that sounds like harder version of Bruce Springsteen. "Locked And Loaded" and "Black Monday" have that easy accessibility with memorable chorus that are radio ready without sacrificing that heavy crunch. "Crown Of Thorns" is the mellow ballad, sparsely arranged with acoustic guitars and occasional percussion. For the first time, you can hear hints of keyboards in the very subtle string-like backing to the track. Sinner's vocals are front and center, raw and honest.

This album has grown on me, and after several listens can say that I like it. But it is on the pure adrenaline-like level. Good, heavy, strong power metal.


Tracklisting:
Higher Level Of Violence (3:15) / There Will Be Execution (3:32) / Requiem For A Sinner (3:03) / Die On Command (4:45) / Finalizer (4:36) / Locked And Loaded (5:15) / God Raises The Dead (4:44) / The River (4:24) / Liberty Of Death (3:47) / Black Monday (4:21) / Crown Of Thorns (3:28) / Bonus Tracks (2nd disc of special edition): Wherever I May Roam (5:16) / Troublemaker (3:52) / Roses Of Yesterday (5:08) (TOTAL TIME, SPEC ED. 57:26)

Musicians:
Mat Sinner ? vocals, bass
Henny Wolter ? guitar
Tom Naumann ? guitar
Fritz Randow ? drums
Frank Rössler ? keyboards

Discography:
Wild 'N' Evil (1982)
Fast Decision (1983)
Danger Zone (1984)
Touch Of Sin (1985)
Comin' Out Fighting (1986)
Dangerous Charm (1987)
Back To The Bullet (1990)
No More Alibis (1992)
Respect (1993)
Bottom Line (1995)
Judgement Day (1997)
The Nature Of Evil (1998)
The End Of Sanctuary (2000)
There Will Be Execution (2003)

Genre: Traditional Metal

Origin DE

Added: May 4th 2003
Reviewer: Stephanie Sollow
Score:
Artist website: matsinner.rocks.de
Hits: 2060
Language: english

  

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