| The
Review |
This is one heavy record, a return to the melodic thrash
of the early days, ala Hexx, Grim Reaper, Heathen, Death Angel,
& Leatherwolf; filled with pure guitar driven power. Instead
of going way into the pop route of AOR or the slick tendency
of power metal, Cloven Hoof embarks with their sophisticated
'wall of Marshalls' crunch tinged with melodic overtones &
technical progressions that protrude an aggravated thrust
of aggression out of the speakers, which will knock your ass
down. ***
While 'Eye of the Sun' expounds upon its loud features,
the album is filled with edgy numbers like the straightforward
metal of "Absolute Power" & the title track, melodic metal
on "Cyberworld," dark, moody overtones with "Golgotha," and
an interesting number titled "Angels in Hell," which begins
as an eerie sub-acoustic ballad only to turn into this sinister
thrash metal opus; these guys know how to play the hell out
of their material. Plenty of guitar solos, no keyboards, and
no fuss, that's for sure ***
One thing if for sure about this release, 'Eye of the
Sun' is true metal, and proved that again, it does not have
to be too slick, too pop, or even to extreme to kick ass,
or to make a point. And don't look at this as being a 'retrofitted'
record by any means; Cloven Hoof prove that metal in this
vein is timeless, play it loud and you will hear why.
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