Herod

The resurgence of classic rock in the underground, or what can now be referred to as the hardcore renaissance, is coming strong and the saintly Herod are here to show you a modern side of metal ballads. Throughout the disc the guitar work is busy and fast. Every chance the guitarists have they add little quirks to breathe new life into the riffs. The vocals are not what one would usually expect, using anguished hard rock serenades, creating a similar sound to Beyond the Embrace. The amount of affectionate "God” references becomes worrisome leading one to question why religion is such a universal theme in metal. It serves as a reminder that when people let Jesus into heavy music, he usually shows up with a bunch of really poorly written words. The vocalist, Judah, explains the need for "soul healing” because of the love that "hurts like shadows on the wall” in "a place where all your impurities make sense.” While the record initially smells of Jesus being baptised in a river of aged cheddar, repeated listening dissipates the odour and leaves some really catchy tunes hanging in the air. The songs as a whole are very powerful and tied together well. This is the type of band that could have many hits and become huge in Europe, which explains their label choice.