Denied – Let Them Burn

Releasedate: 26-01-2013; Label: Sliptrick Records
By: Martine Goffard

The Swedish band Denied has just released its third album called “Let Them Burn”. The band was formed near Stockholm in 2003 by Andreas Carlsson. Considering that the band was back with a new line-up composed of vocalist Johan Fahlberg (Jaded Heart/Ex-Insania), guitarist Chris Vowden (Ex-Abnormality/Ex-Absurd) and bassist Fredrik Isaksson (Ex-Therion/Ex-Grave) we were ready for some pleasant surprise. It seems that this album has gone beyond our expectations.

Let Them Burn is excellent dynamic heavy metal, with a touch of 90’s hard rock for the atmosphere. Though that Denied is sometime described as “trash” or “brutal” metal, the songs are all melodic. The “brutal” could be in the scathing riffs or in the clear and impressively powerful voice of Fahlberg, who doesn’t hesitate to burn his vocal cords. The guys are not born from the last rain and the professionalism is evident.
Then, it’s said that the band has earned a reputation for their live shows. This is plain obvious. It’s hard to believe that it’s a studio album so much you have the impression that you are in front of the stage in a huge area; a feeling that is increased by an exaggerating use of grandiloquent effects. You can hear the guys haranguing the frenetic crowd on Dead Messiah and on the explosive Lesser Son.
From the greasy Judas Kiss to In Hell, the album is never short-winded. Unfortunately, never slowing down the tempo makes the songs a little bit too similar and the melancholic ballad Garden Of Stone is the only one getting clearly out of the lot at a first listening. But whatever, at the end you just wish that there would be more to listen to.

Line up:
Johan Fahlberg – vocals
Chris Vowden – guitar
Andreas Carlsson – guitar
Fredrik Isaksson – bass
Peter Dolls Olsson – drums

Tracklist: 01. Judas Kiss 02. Dead Messiah 03. Garden Of Stone 04. Constant Rage 05. Until The End Of Time 06. Lesser Son 07. Seven Times Your Sin 08. Nothing Is Sacred 09. The Black Room 10. In Hell

Links:
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