Zarpa – Las Puertas Del Tiempo CD review

After you’ve stared at the rather awesome album artwork for some time, you will eventually decide to open the box and take a listen to Zarpa’s new album entitled Las Puertas Del Tiempo to see if it is just as mind blowing as its front cover. Hailing from Valencia in Spain; this classic metal four piece are all about the shredding guitar riff – combining power, fast finger work and distortion to form Maiden, Saxon and Priest like guitar riffs that will blow your ear drums the moment they kick in. If you want a loud album, then Las Puertas Del Tiempo is the album for you. Its 80’s styled heavy metal at its best. What can be better than the old school eh?

Pardon my Spanish, but all the song titles on Las Puertas Del Tiempo are in Spanish, so anybody who doesn’t speak or read Zarpa’s native tongue will have no idea to what these songs are about. But, hey ho it’s about the music and not the name of the song. Tracks like ‘Rescátame’, ‘Esto Es Heavy Metal’ and ‘Karthago’ are all guitar driven songs that would not be as good as they are without the heavy, charging riffs that start off these songs. It is all about the riff in these songs and it’s this NWOBHM galloping riff that gives the songs on Las Puertas Del Tiempo that extra sharp edge.

There are also a number of more melodic, ballad esque songs on Las Puertas Del Tiempo that deserve mentioning. Tracks like the title track ‘Las Puertas Del Tiempo’ are so atmospheric and moving, playing on the heart strings the moment it kicks in and hooking the listener in a web of beautiful melodies that last for five minutes of pure elegance and grace. Sometimes melodic music is just as good as the heavy stuff and in Zarpa’s case the better moments on this album come from the softer side of their songs.

Apart from the odd ballad here and there, Las Puertas Del Tiempo fails to provide the listener with anything unique or diverse in their music. 95% of this album is fast paced, hard rocking, balls out, heavy metal, and it’s just a shame because it has been heard before. There are moments throughout the album that remind you of the 80’s metal gods like Maiden and Saxon and it’s just a shame that Zarpa don’t try to move a bit further away from their influences.

Las Puertas Del Tiempo is not an album you should go out and buy straight away. Apart from there being a couple of kick ass heavy metal tracks on there that really stand out, the rest of the EP sounds really repetitive and similar to most band trying to play the same type of music. [6/10]