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Frontiers [Release date: 28.02.22]
Only occasionally since their debut have Praying Mantis registered a decent sized blip on the radar of rock music in the UK.
It was in Japan – where NWOBHM labelling was less meaningful – that the band’s much more melodic rock form of metal found a sizeable audience.
Seven albums on Pony Canyon provided the momentum that propelled the band back into Europe, and a deal with Frontiers in 2006. Katharsis is the band’s fifth album on the label.
The Troy brothers’ new vocalist, Jaycee Cuijpers certainly has a welcome European everyman tone in his voice. It’s unfortunate though, that a few of the songs are more noticeable for their portentous lyrics than their songwriting strengths.
Opener, ‘Cry For The Nations’ overcomes that handicap by taking us on a rollicking melodic rock ride of twin guitar interplay and carefully calibrated riffs. It’s the scene setter.
In fact, throughout the album’s eleven tracks, everything is precisely measured. A light touch production gloss and some slick, metallised AOR-ish arrangements are applied to most tracks, but yet the album doesn’t sound like it was made to formula.
From the rock songs ‘Wheels In Motion’ and ‘Masquerade’, to the power ballads ‘Sacrifice’ and ‘Long Time Coming’, all are fresh sounding and indeed memorable.
On several standout songs, especially the Survivor/Journeyish ‘Closer To Heaven’ and the bluesy, stomping ‘Aint No Rock’n'Roll In Heaven’, the intensity in Cjuiper’s vocals pulls off the twin tricks of building the drama, while softening us up for a romantic interlude.
And further on, there’s a not unattractive attempt to philophise about a world in turmoil – ‘Find Our Way Back Home’, ‘Devil Never Changes’ – and how so much boils down to personal responsibility. Never a truer word. ***1/2
Review by Brian McGowan
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