Prey On The Fallen - Prey On The Fallen

If you want heavy guitar riffage plus melody then you're going to love the debut album from these guys. 

They have a classic metal sound without sounding dated plus  there's some great shred guitar solos while still staying melodic which is exactly what a metal guitar solo should be, flashy enough to make you say "this guy can play" while at the same time keeping it relevant to the tune (always a fine line).

The songs groove & chug along nicely & beg to be heard in a live setting where you can tell they would really come alive especially in a small club setting. I can imagine the mosh pit at the front of the stage going off with the sweating bodies of the metal faithful and the adrenalin pumping through their veins. These guys take the sound of their influences and skillfully meld them all to make a sound all their own giving the songs an air familiarity but not to the extent of making them sound like clones. They site their main influences as Black Sabbath, Alice In Chains, Metallica, Pantera,

Megadeth, Black Label Society, Down, Rob Zombie and Paradise Lost & you can certainly hear these influences coming through in the songs.  
The highlights of the album for me would have to be the songs Creed to the Greed & Chain Reaction, which has a seriously coool intro riff which brings to mind Motley Crues Primal Scream. Where it sometimes falls down for me is with the Vocals & the Lyrics which sound like their trying to be purposefully/forcefully growlish/heavy  at times and comes across somewhat contived to my ears. The more i listen to this album the more it grows on me so I guess it takes more than 1 listen to get into your DNA. Although I don't think their interpretation of Hotel California will ever grown on me & is a somewhat strange inclusion on the album that leaves you thinking "Why...?" (Loss of half a Roo for this). Overall a worhty addition to any metal fans collection.

-- Chris Xynos