Silence is golden. Not really something you would expect to read at the beginning of an album review. Especially not when it’s a wall of sound you hear from start to finish. Thrash/death killing machine Methedras‘s new album The Ventriloquist however is based around the supernatural horror move Dead Silence, so I thought it a fitting opening sentence. I know, concept albums have been done time and time again by now and most often they have been mediocre. But that’s not the case this time. Whether you want a musical summary for a horror movie or just a hard and heavy album, give this a listen. This work of musical allurement will not leave you disappointed.

‘The Ventriloquist’ is the new exciting chapter of our discography. Whose characteristic is the research of brand new elements to put into our sound, like more melody and ‘catchy’ refrains, and the deepening of some others already heard in our music, like more developed electronic in each song, for a final result that doesn’t betray the band’s tradition. We are sure that our fans will like it and it can also bring new ones!

A ventriloquist and lasting vengeance

Maybe a little bit about the movie first, before we move on to the album itself. A long story short, Dead Silence is about a long dead ventriloquist who has vowed vengeance on a family in a certain town. And this leads to some rather hideous events. Now that that’s out of the way, we can get to the musical side of this review. From the opening song A Deal With The Devil to the grand finale Watch Me Fall, The Ventriloquist really sucks you in and draws you to it’s speed, brutality and its hint of being catchy. As the band members say themselves, they’ve tried to experiment with some new elements in their songwriting. And so, as with every musical experiment, it may have an odd sound to it sometimes. But that’s not really a problem.

Right from the start, A Deal With The Devil shows what it’s bringing to the table. The right amount of heaviness and shred with some melodic moments when needed. The tight playing of drummer Daniele Gotti and bass player Andrea Bochi  gives the song the necessary groove. And the fast, palm muted riffs of guitarist Daniele Colombo adds the needed power. The song might sound a little catchy, mainly thanks to its chorus and some well-placed electronic sounds. But I’m sure death metal fans will love it. It’s fast, powerful, straightforward and contains an awesome guitar solo to top it off.

This flow is continued in the later songs, most of them following this formula. And some special attention has been given to the bass guitar, which sometimes tends to go unnoticed by most listeners. Some bridges in the songs are solely played by the bass, drawing our attention to it. And also giving some more breathing space for the overall whole. Take a listen to the third track Blind for example and you’ll know what I mean. And to add to this, producer Simone Mularoni did a great job bringing the right balance to the mix. He gave every instrument its own sonic space, so they all jump out.

As a conclusion I’d say, if you like death metal, and don’t mind it being a little catchy or having some whacky electronics sometimes, you’ll like this. The Ventriloquist is an in-your-face album. It fulfills your expectations and makes you want more. As a musical experiment, it more than succeeds. And I’m looking forward to hearing more from this new Methedras.

 Methedras is :
Andrea Bochi (Bass)
Daniele Colombo (Guitar)
Claudio Facheris (Vocals)
Daniele Gotti (Drums)

Release date : December 7, 2018
Label : Massacre Records
Tracklist :
1. A Deal With The Devil
2. Sham Knockout
3. Blind
4. Dead Silence
5. Fire Within
6. Stab Me Again
7. Alive Or Convict
8. Sleepwalking
9. Into The Maze
10. Watch Me Fall