Endangered Reign
Unborn Legacies
7.9
As more traditional metal bands come out of the woodwork, from legendary and not so legendary reuniting NWBHM bands to bands like Endangered Reign, who are but five years in the making, the audience’s expectations adjust accordingly. Traditional metal becomes less a novelty. A greater basis for comparison exists. Call it a double-edged sword, because bands that might have been able to get away with releasing sub-par albums in the past now face more intense judgment, but bands that consistently release quality material will be celebrated that much more in a then-respectable genre. Count Endangered Reign among the latter, because with their second full-length, Unborn Legacies, they manage to separate themselves from other independent traditionalists with a firm grasp of melody, variation, and well-timed solos, and one can’t help but want more after the forty six minutes are over. Vocals make or break many traditional metal albums, so it was with considerable interest that I waited to hear Marc Ridenour chime in. While I am not totally convinced that Endangered Reign couldn’t do better by finding a dedicated vocalist instead of taking the dual vocalist/guitarist approach, Mr. Ridenour has a pleasant singing voice befitting of the music. It’s not overpowering, but it does enhance some of the softer moments of the album, and I think most listening will find him to be a suitable vocalist. He doesn’t exactly possess the greatest range, but what he lacks in flair he makes up for in professionalism, never straying too far from the tone established by the excellent guitar work provided by lead guitarist Brian Newman and himself. As for the music itself, Endangered Reign plays exactly how it describes itself on its webpage; “a modern sounding metal band that combines extremely heavy guitars with loads of melody, catchy hooks, and technical leads.” Some of the more accurate influences listed on the site are Maiden, Metal Church, and Symphorce. Thrash elements are minimal, so I am not sure the Metallica and Megadeth influences hold up, but one thing is most definitely true; while these three guys, including bassist and drummer Karl Seitz, are obviously influenced by a plethora of traditional metal groups, they successfully craft their own style that sounds more exciting than it reads on paper. From an instrumental (“Andean Gryphus) that sounds almost classically inspired to a galloping, chorus-driven rocker (“Endless Maze”), the band covers a lot of territory in nine songs, which many bands would have a hard time doing without sounding like they were reaching, but Endangered Reign never sound that way. Some songs can flow smoothly from one uber-melodic softer-toned section consisting of only two layers, the vocals and one guitar, to a rough bridge, and the fact that the band pulls it off without too much notice from the listener is a credit to the band’s songwriting talents. I’ve reviewed several traditional metal albums as of late. Some have been excellent. Some have been horrible. Most have sounded uninspired. Color me surprised as all hell to find that this three-piece from Michigan have it in them to play straight forward, no bullshit metal and actually live up to the influences they name-check on their site. Good show, guys.
