Album review: WASTED SHELLS – The Collector

Broken Bones Productions [Release date – out now]

Yet more quality metal from Sweden, the clear waters in Scandinavia must have a high iron content which gets into the blood at an early age. Wasted Shells are the latest in a long line of hard and heavy bands to emerge and, as with the likes of In Flames, they meld the heavy with the melodic to create ultra heavy but tuneful songs.

Opener ‘Monster’ set the stall out well with a furious riffs, rapid fire bassline and vocals which change from growl to clear with ease, ‘Stand Alone’ follows with more of the same. What comes across on each track are well thought out musical arrangements which help to raise the album above the majority of shouty metal bands and holds your interest through the 9 tracks on offer.

It’s not all breakneck riffage and titanic drumming though, there are moments where they slow things down as on ‘The Fall’, which is a very atmospheric track, and gives vocalist Ola Svensson a chance to show what he can do when not in full growl mode. The song builds gradually to a twin guitar driven climax before fading gently. The guys are at their best though when at maximum attack as on the powerful ‘Bulwark’ and ‘A Barren Country and the Walking Dead’, a big song with a big title.

This is the band’s second album following on from their 2010 debut ‘The Debt’. They have managed to build up a strong live following over the last few years and with this album they should continue on the ascendancy. Hard, heavy and melodic, ticks all the right boxes for me. ****

Review by David Wilson

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

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Power Plays w/c 9 December 2024

In this sequence we play ‘The Best of 2024′ GRTR! reviewer selections

Featured Albums w/c 9 December 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2024 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2024 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2024 (Singer Songwriter)