Review of Detonation - An Epic Defiance

If Comity was a tough review, Detonation couldn't be any simpler. Straight forward Euro-melodeth, crisply produced, perfectly executed, and intelligently written. And not the least bit surprising. Essentially, if you took any of the grundle of modern thrash outfits, added a singer that reminds one a bit of J Randal Blithe from Lamb of God, you would have Detonation. Melodic lead guitars over thrash/death songwriting, occasional blastbeats, mainly fast, but occasionally slow...sound like something you might have run across before? The LOG similarities go a bit beyond just the singing styles. I could almost say that if LOG were smoother and more euro sounding with brighter production they would be this band. It's not a knock, and the similarities are ephemeral at best, but there is a shared sense of riffage in the guitars, and the both drummers of both bands are monsters. But whereas LOG is chunky, hardcore and quite American sounding, this band is obviously European, right down to the smooth Iron Maiden dual guitar harmonies. The production is crisp to the point of almost sounding too fragile, like crystal metal. The band is tight and the recording brings out each instrument clearly, apart from the bass which is, as is so often the case anymore, buried. In my car when the double bass kicks in everything else disappears, which may be a function of my rig, but it bugged me. Overall, though, the sound is exciting and involving. Bottom Line: If you can fit another EuroMeloDeathThrash band in your CD collection this would be a good candidate. Although not the heaviest of metal, it has the fire and the intensity to keep a Neothrash fan happy. I will listen to it from time to time.

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Detonation

An Epic Defiance

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