Been to a metal show in the UK recently? You might be aware of Savage Messiah, an English band that is far, far beyond any ‘rising’, ‘new’ or ‘fresh’ labels at this point given their near ten-year history, extensive touring past and now their fourth full-length release – Hands of Fate.
Savage Messiah are upfront, loud and proud about their signature sound from the start and throughout. Straight away from Hands of Fate we are introduced to what they are about – the hooks, the riffs and a bombastic chorus. They ooze the grandeur and bravado of glam metal but the heavier influences are still present. ‘Lay Down Your Arms’ gives us a slower, chuggier riff where ‘The Crucible’ seethes a Metallica vibe.
Hands of Fate does, however, kind of leave it there. We don’t get to hear anything from Savage Messiah other than the adrenaline pumped riffs and grand, crowd-inviting chorus’ which will surely leave some pleased – others will struggle to find any stand-out tracks on the record.
There is certainly merit to this album as you feel the band are presenting nothing but exactly the music that defines them. Not only that, but Savage Messiah are easily producing some of the best music of this genre in the country right now with this latest release.
Listeners will likely have heard albums that provide more variation and may find the singular-style of the record hard to overcome, but what is there is there for enjoyment.
