Rating:

Track Listing:

AFM Records (June 2009)

1. Crushing the Dwarf of Ignorance
2. Lightbringer
3. In Victory
4. Awaking the Chimaera
5. Ghost Pilot (MI II)
6. Suomussalmi (The Few of Iron)
7. Blood God
8. Titan
9. The Elixir
10. Prelude to Death

Let’s talk about “retro” metal.  Although some metalheads attach a negative connotation to the use of the term “retro”, it is an absolutely appropriate adjective to use when analyzing RAM’s metal approach.  It’s not like they’re trying to hide the obvious fact that these guys love everything “retro” about metal.  Just check out the band’s MySpace page and read their bio; RAM proclaims, quite boldly, that they are “one of the pioneers of the ‘New Wave of Traditional Heavy Metal’” – whatever the hell that’s supposed to be.  Metal, as an art form, is ever-evolving.  Any metal band who makes a conscious effort to rekindle the spirit of the metal days of yesterday is, by definition, retro.  This album is almost a metal roots/thrash tribute album, and escapes this nasty label only because RAM didn’t decide to cover anybody as a bonus track.  Please take these observations into account before you rush to judgment on, against, or in favor of RAM.  [T.J. steps off his soapbox and promptly beats said soapbox to splinters with the buttend of his trusty Stratocaster.]

“Lightbringer” brings no fresh approach to heavy metal in the new millennium.  This album feels like someone turned the dial on their Swedish Hot Tub Time Machine to 1987 and permanently pressed the “whirlpool” button.  “Lightbringer” is a throwback.  Big time.  Cram all of the classic 80’s “thrash” bands into a Cuisinart, grind their sounds into a pâté, and serve it on crackers.  This is the sound of RAM.  Pure retro thrash pâté.  The opening track’s title sounds as though it belongs on a Spinal Tap album.  Its plodding heaviness is backed by inaudible murmurs and closed with more metal cliché: the sploshing of rain punctuated by a loud and unexpected outburst of metal.  The title track sets the pace for the rest of the entire album, and plays as a perfect soundtrack to any T-topless IROC.  “Awakening the Chimaera” also sounded uncannily familiar to some other thrash classic – upon further research I found the likeness to be none other than Mercyful Fate, minus the groove.  “Ghost Pilot (MI II)” attempts to break into this century, but only succeeds in, once again, copying Metallica.  RAM does not possess the speed of a band like Metallica, however, so, apart from a particularly juicy guitar harmony at 2:46m followed by a duel of spirited solos, the song falls flat after the derivative intro.  RAM goes epic with “Suomussalmi (The Few of Iron),” a Maiden-esuqe battle march that depicts a battle against Russian soldiers.  My favorite “retro” moment of “Lightbringer” happened in this track: every time I heard the third movement of the epic, I started singing the lyrics to “Holy Diver” in my head.  I can’t decide, sadly, whether this similar riffage pays homage to Dio or is just plain lazy.  “Blood God” brazenly snags a cadence from the iconic Metallica track, “The Four Horsemen,” and pays tribute to the Alcoholica days of old with a hefty, slurpy sip of suds in its ending seconds.  These musical pilferings have been so obvious that it was difficult to listen to the latter half of the album without drawing parallels to classic thrash bands for every other riff.  But maybe that’s what RAM wants us to think.  Hail, “traditional” metal!  Right?

Musically, RAM has an honest sound.  Although modern digital stompboxes can successfully emulate that pure tube sound, we’ll give RAM the benefit of the doubt and trust that their guitar signal is devoid of pedal clutter.  The guitar tone is seemingly unchanged for the length of the album, consistently overdriven, jumping back and forth from heavily palm-muted chugging to sustained melodies.  Unlike a retro album, the bass is audible, growly and sufficient in adding a prominent power metal punch to RAM’s guitar assault.  The basswork in “Blood God” was the only aspect of that song that kept me awake.  Vocally, Oscar Carlquist borrows heavily from King Diamond (heavily-echoed falsetto), Rob Halford (soaring, operatic, double-tracked mids), and Cronus (croaky brutal vocals).  There are countless moments in his vocal performance that reek of half-nostalgia and half-camp.  This split is most evident on “The Elixir” where Carlquist employs a wicked King Diamond-style laugh, the only moment during the album where I tend to laugh out loud every time.  All drumming on “Lightbringer” is crisp and unfettered.  I’ll nitpick a bit, though: the snare lacks pop and, through the few fills that involve multiple cymbal hits, all definition is lost.  All cymbal hits feel light-handed, even though I know this is not the case – they’re just undermixed.  Despite this, there seem to be the fewest moments allowed for the drummer to shine through in the mix, leaving his position here utilitarian, unfortunately.  Morgan Petterson could have at least let his sticks fly a bit freer in the opening and closing filler tracks, but I’m sure such ad-libbing would not be tolerated.

Overall, if your metal origin can be traced back to thrash, “Lightbringer” will bring a smile to your face and a bang to your head.  Don’t expect spectacular speed or technical excellence.  RAM just wants to rock your face clean off your skull and pour beer into it.  Their riff-borrowing is no crime, since everybody steals riffs.  That’s all part of being “retro.”  If, however, you are a metalhead with a taste for the next-best-thing happening in the scene, you will be thoroughly disappointed and feel as though you’ve been tricked into buying a 25-year-old metal album instead of one released in 2010.  “Lightbringer” is truly niche metal: you will either chuck it out the window of your vehicle after one play or one of these songs will become your ringtone.

“Lightbringer” can be found on Amazon in CD and MP3 format.

Album-Defining Track:

“Awakening the Chimaera” is everything a good thrash song should be.  We get the full range of vocals, tempo changes, a groove, extensive solos, driving bass drum hits.  And the ending ends in echoing, “DEATH DEATH death…”

Notable Riffage:

Any riff I could identify as somebody else’s riff.

Notable Drumming:

• The jerky thing at 1:50m in the title track, “Lightbringer.”  Some of the hardest blasting on this record.
• The way the drums take control over the song at 1:37 in “Awakening the Chimaera.”

Favorite Vocal Moment:

The end of “Elixir.”  Total King Diamond laugh tribute.

Favorite Lyric:

My aim is my best friend

And my rifle is my God

There’s no mercy in my heart

I send them to their cold, white grave

-from “Suomussalmi (The Few of Iron)”

Recommended For Fans Of:

metal bands 20-30 years ago, Mercyful Fate (and especially King Diamond), Rob Halford’s voice, Witchery, early Metallica

Pros:

• Powerful, honest guitar/bass mix.
• Dynamic vocal performance.
• Amazing opening track title.

Cons:

• Weak snare and cymbal mix and “restrained” fills.
• Though dynamic, the vocal performance embodies every late ‘70’s/’80’s metal cliché.  In fact, so does the whole album.
• The epic track in the middle of the album throws off all pacing.  It should be chopped in half.

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Artists: RAM
Albums: "Lightbringer"