Shadows in the Dark

Coded Message: 12 (Metropolis)
by DJ Carrion

The title refers to the symbolic meaning of the number, which, according to numerology, stands for unity and perfection. While it doesn’t quite hit perfection, it works as a decent successor to the previous album, Stronghold.

The opening track, “Curtain Raiser,” slowly prepares you for the journey ahead with its mellow and classical-influenced instrumental piece. The calmness is quickly ruptured by the savage and brutal “Brand of Cain,” with beats that pound down like a storm, carried by the trademark synth work and immensely improved gravelly vocals.

The structure of the album follows the blueprints of the previous album: It opens and closes with instrumental pieces, the meat of it is pulsating hard electro, spiced with vocals sung in either English or German, and the repetitive electro beats are doused with an instantly recognizable synth style.

On “Relief,” they also use a clean vocal style instead of the raspy vocals, with a faster beat similar to Fictional and Covenant. While I enjoy the work of this band greatly, I was a little disappointed by the lack of variety and evolution from the previous album.
(www.metropolis-records.com)