On July 13th the Swedish band Armory released their second full-length album The Search. The band formed from the ashes of a band named Resurrector in 2012, and released two demos and two albums since. World Peace… Cosmic War, their first full-length, is prior to The Search story wise. Where World Peace… Cosmic War speculates about the theory that if the world will ever find peace, humans will continue into space with their aggressive behavior. The Search goes further and is speculating about the life forms we may find and what will happen after we encounter such thing. This concept and the speed metal Armory creates intertwine perfectly. With eleven tracks there is plenty to listen to, and think about!
Their song Hyperion came with an official lyric video, and saw the light on may 16th. The fast playing from G. Sunding and Ingelman on guitar definitely catches your attention. Their harmonies are dynamic and technical, yet do not dominate the song. Bassist Anglegrinder adds a forcible contribution too. The song describing the Armageddon is a good way to introduce the subject of extraterrestrial life. Hence why this song was a very decent choice to release to give us a little first impression of the album.
Star Voyage is an instrumental and song, which has some cosmic sounds in the background. It is clean and has a slower tempo, but the transition into the next song Vault Seven is nonetheless worth mentioning. As Star Voyage slows down at the end of the song, it makes space for the next song. Consequently accentuating the melody of the intro of Vault Seven. I think this is a well considered move, showing true musicianship.
The Twin Suns Of Solaris is another prime example of the musicianship in this band. The song starts off with melodic duo guitar work. Drummer Ace shows what he’s capable of as well, with some serious double bass work. Utomjordisk Dominans is in the same category. It is fast, great riffage and creative writing. They got the formula just right.
Polymorphic Intruders caught my attention. The track contains more groovy elements, which brings some variety. Again, this song contains some technical work on the guitar. Another pleasant addition is some small vocal variation throughout the song. Although Konstapel P does some amazing throat work, the crispy edge can sometimes add little dynamic element.
Armory is an impressive band with loads of potential. The Search is a cosmic blessing upon your ears, especially for any speed metal fan. The story behind the album is some food for thought. With the musicians aiming for the speed of light in a speed metal band, is there anything that could go wrong? Extraterrestrial life would certainly be pleased with this album as well. Sweden has another band to be proud of!
Release date: July 13th, 2018
Label: High Roller Records
Tracklist:
1. The Search
2. Hyperion
3. Rise Above
4. Star Voyage
5. Vault Seven
6. Bringer of Light
7. Heavy Metal Impact
8. The Twin Suns of Solaris
9. Utomjordisk Dominans
10. Polymorphic Intruders
11. Hisingen Warriors
