Souldrinker – War is Coming
Label: El Puerto Records
Release Date: November 3. 2017
Souldrinker is a German melodic metal band, and my introduction to their music came in the form of the music video for the first track on War is Coming, “Let the King Bleed.” This is an impressive opener for the album, setting the wonderfully aggressive anti-establishment tone for everything to come. With two other EP’s under their belt, the members of Souldrinker know how to put together a solid release.
If I had to describe War is Coming in a few words, my automatic response would be to say that this album is well executed.
The first thing that struck me about War is Coming was the the consistent quality of the lyrics. Many of the tracks had themes I could relate to. In particular, I think of “Take My Pain” and “Fire Raiser” as tracks with lyrics that were meaningful for me.
Equally important is the collective talent of the members of the band, and with Souldrinker there is no lack of talent. Iris Boanta’s vocal style is intense but melodic, and the musicians supporting her; guitarist Marcus Pohl (Mystic Prophecy, Watch Me Bleed), bassist Chris Rodens, and drummer Steffen Thuerer, distinguish themselves as having a great deal of skill as well. I think every track on this album is well-composed, with enough complexity to be interesting, without detracting from the enjoyment I might get if I just had it on in the background. It won’t keep you on your toes with unpredictable progression, but elements of each song stand out as nice embellishments on already solid tracks.
War is Coming is a powerhouse of well-crafted sound, with the recording quality worthy of the effort that went into the writing. The best albums get their hooks into you. Every track is well-written and well-performed, so much so that none really stand out as gems based on sound alone. The bar is set so high by their own efforts, that I don’t really have a favorite. Based on everything I look for in a good album, War is Coming is a successful release by Souldrinker.
