DECADENCE „Chargepoint”

Genre: Thrash Metal
Country: Sweden
Band Website: www.decadence.se
Duration: 37:59
Killer Songs: Discharge,” “Strength of Mind, “Challenge”

Chargepoint. Strange name for an album. “What’s a chargepoint?” you ask. Not sure. It does seem to imply something vibrant, humongous, aggresive, ALIVE. The title does speak volumes of this band’s self confidence when they eschew the Ed Repka cover art (yep, they play thrash, but not the old-school variety) and go for a fiery laser beam that bathes a landscape in crimson. Very epic. The four warm bodies who comprise Deacadence—three guys and a blonde she-beast on vocals—also go straight to the point on their new album’s first few seconds of music. Opener “Discharge” is dragged in by a syrupy guitar lick then proceeds to hammer away. Amidst the song’s melodic chaos, screamer Kitty Saric’s butt ugly vocals deliver lyrics with machinegun efficiency while the rest of her band peddle the expected heavyness.

This is the problem with Decadence. The been-there-done-that quality of their msic. With three albums behind them and “Chargepoint” fetted to be the release that gets their name spread all over, they simply round the wheel for a genre needing refreshment, fast. Tracks like “Silent Weapon (For A Quiet War),” “Point of No Return,” and “Out of Ashes” are irritating filler for ears that have already dug the latest smashing releases from, say, Tenet, Evile, and even Warbringer. There’s a lot of brutal stuff out there that’s way better than Decadence, so these Swedes remain hard pressed to deliver the goods.

The band recognize their faults though, and redemption comes by way of empowering tunes such as “Strength of Mind” and “Challenge.” Both tracks come alive with fancy guitars from the seasoned axeman Kenneth Lantz, frenetic drumwork by Erik Rojas, his partner Joachim Antman’s barely-there bass lines, and Ms. Saric’s rather blase vocal style. “Be Home When I’m Gone” begins with an odd train whistle, then shifts to the no-holds-barred speed metal Decadence have acquired a taste for. Virtuostic satisfaction is milked from the instrumental “The Demons Run” and with “Chargepoint” wrapped, the listener feels tempted to move on with his/her life. This is a strong album, but certainly not a grandiose display of metal mastery.

note: 7/10

Tracklist

1. Discharge
2. Silent Weapon (For A Quiet War)
3.Out of Ashes
4.Point of No Return
5.Strength of Mind
6.Fast Forward
7.Challenge
8.Be Home When I’m Gone
9.The Demons Run (Bonus Track)

Line-up

Metallic Kitty-Vocals
Kenneth Lantz-Guitar
Joakim Antman-Bass
Erik Rojas-Drums