review: Messiah (Switzerland) -- new death metal album since 1994

Messiah

Fracmont

High Roller Records

September 11th, 2020

Here is the first album since 1994 by the 1980s cult Swiss band (album number six overall). In the 80s the music was thrash/death and in the 90s they got heavier, more disciplined towards classic-style death, and in 2020 it’s uptempo/midtempo death. The vocals are a heavy, gruff growl, like they had in the early the 90s. This publication does not have knowledge of the situation in other countries, but here in the U.S. the accessible death metal of Death/Obituary/Bolt Thrower continues as a favorite amongst large sections of the fans of the genre. For this reason one can say that this comeback album is a good fit for the American audiences that prefer their death to be memorable and midtempo-uptempo. If anything, if the listeners isolate the guitars, they will hear the echoes of classic heavy metal riffs (with a heavier production, of course) in some parts of the songs. With the years of experience and contemplation about their sound they have learned to accept a bit more heavy metal into their restless and wild metal heart. The guitars, and really the entire band, shows great skill in keeping the songs focused and ready for impact. That is perhaps the most important conclusion to be drawn: That the songs themselves work well as traditional, classic-style, accessible death metal.

The guitar work is easy on the ears and with a good measure of melodies during some of the solos. The vocals are not too difficult to make out while remaining substantially gruff. The rhythm section, and the production as a whole, sounds good and clear. The album itself seems like a statement. When Messiah broke up in the 90s, they did not go out with a bang. The line-up was unstable and the music had lost its mojo. Their last album in 1994 called Underground is not even considered a true Messiah album by the members themselves. Besides declaring that they are back for real (not just for reunion shows), they are making a statement about the kind of music that they want to make. It is a strong comeback and also a redemption for a band that had some unfinished business. The mission is finally complete. Here’s hoping that this is not the last Messiah album.

Fracmont by Messiah