Single review: MANIMAL – Armageddon and The Inevitable End

August 15th, 2021 by brianmc

AFM Records [Release date 06.08.21]

‘Armageddon‘ is the title track and third “single” release from forthcoming new album from Sweden’s Manimal.

As the song title suggests, this video version has lots of footage of global warfare, nuclear of course, clearly depicting missiles in flight, cities in ruins and a planet turned to wasteland.… lyrically it doesn’t add much to the new millennium’s “we’re all doomed” narrative.

These all too familiar scenes are overshadowed by the band’s thumping Nintendocore axework. Songwriter/ Guitarist Henrik Stenroos’s technique, tone, invention and his iron fist/ velvet glove guitar aggression are the hallmarks of a world class power metal axeman. He stands out, but in fairness, it’s a tight, tight band. ***1/2

Surprisingly, considering it’s the title track, it’s overshadowed by ‘The Inevitable End‘, the previous single release. This is a memorably melodic slice of metal: dramatic, clever and subtle with the timing of the transitions. The sound separation in a densely packed production is awesome to behold. And when Samuel Nyman’s skyscraping vocal launches into the song’s lightning bolt of a chorus, the song takes flight. ****

Full album releases on 8 October 2021.

Review by Brian McGowan

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