Thursday, December 12, 2013

2013 Jester One Music Top 20 Countdown - #9

9 - Deadlock - The Arsonist



To be honest, I had written off Deadlock after their 2011 atrocity of an album "Bizarro World". The band had pumped out 2 great albums with 2005's "Earth.Revolt" and '07's "Wolves", but had been on a downward spiral ever since. A lot of the songs on Bizarro World were slow and painfully dull, but when I heard that lead vocalist and main lyricist Johannes Prem had left the band, I figured I'd give "The Arsonist" a chance. I had no idea just how good the album would be, but it explodes right out of the gate with the track "The Great Pretender". The album punches it's way through a newer heavier sound for the German metallers, but they still find a way to incorporate Sabine Scherer's fantastic voice. The song that hit me the hardest was the title track.

The song opens with keyboards, fast paced drums, and Scherer screaming "Fire, Fire!" The opening guitar riff is catchy enough to propel the song into a fast-paced tempo-shifting fury that is perfected with the female-led chorus and crushing solo. All in all, a fantastic rebound for a band that I had almost given up on. I'm hoping for more of the same in the future. For now, "The Arsonist" will tide me over. 10 good tracks including a solid cover of Bronski Beat's "Small Town Boy". If you had never heard of them before, consider this your brilliant introduction!




Title: The Arsonist
Artist: Deadlock
Album: The Arsonist

Previous #9s
2012: Of Monsters and Men - Little Talks
2011: The Limousines - Internet Killed The Video Star
2010: Dan Black - Symphonies
2009: The Killer and the Star - Living With Musicians

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