RAM-Death.

 

This is the sort of album which affirms my love of rock/metal for over 30yrs! Almost 50 minutes of metal overdose from RAM’s 3rd  full album release. The album starts and finishes with 2 atmospheric instrumentals. The 1st,Death is synth driven,accompanied by a chiming guitar over a monotone drum beat. The last track,1771 closes the album with brooding guitar work and the track ends with a single tolling bell.

2nd track in is Comes From The  Mouth Beyond with an abrasive chugging riff,killer guitar solos leading up to a spoken word segment with the track ending on some ear shattering screams from vocalist Oscar Carlquist,bringing to mind the range of Tim Owens. I Am The End storms in next with a staccato riff reminding me of Behind The Crooked Cross by Slayer. Again,some inspired guitar solos in this song backed up by tight rhythm guitars,the vocals here akin to Sebastian Bach. Release Me begins with yet another big riff following a melodic intro with a guitar solo thrown in after just a minute for good measure as the rest of the song builds towards a melodic instrumental finish bolstered by a mighty drum sound.

Defiant is a mid paced thrasher with a churning riff and a mid section full of twin lead guitar leading to more stratospheric vocals. Frozen slows the pace down a tad but still crushingly heavy,the riffing similar to China White by the Scorpions with yet more face melting guitar solos. The tempo shifts up a gear next with the speed metal tinged Under The Scythe following the double kick drumming intro by Morgan Pettersson with another vocal tour de force by Oscar. Hypnos is next,another slow burner with an insistent stabbing riff leading up to the  uptempo thrash metal of penultimate track Flame Of The Tyrants,the video of which can be seen on youtube.

RAM are Sweden based,formed in 1999 by guitarist Harry Granroth,the line up strengthened by guitar virtuoso Daniel Johannson. Their 1st full album Forced Entry was released in 2005,receiving rave reviews. Lightbringer followed in 2009 following a painstaking 10 month of recording to make it the best it could be. Which leads us to current release Death,distributed via Metal Blade on January 31st this year after another lengthy recording process.
RAM band members :-

Oscar Carlquist-Vocals.

Morgan Pettersson-Drums.

Harry Granroth-Guitar.

Daniel Johansson-Guitar.

Tobias Peterson-Bass.

 

Track Listing :-

Death.

Comes From The Mouth Beyond.

I Am The End.

Release Me.

Defiant.

Frozen.

Under The Scythe.

Hypnos.

Flame Of The Tyrants.

1771.

 

I award the album 10/10.

 

About Dennis Jarman

Full time downtrodden album/gig reviewer and part time rock God!