I sure hope that these guys aren't using this title of HOPELEZZ as their everyday life motto, even with the extra Z lettering to the name. As far as I am concerned, the German based HOPELEZZ has been proving the degradation of what used to be called melodic Death Metal originated in Sweden. With no offence to the band directly but they are a part of an ongoing phenomenon that has been spreading since the late 90s where old melodic Death Metal bands went on being more modern and falling right into the devouring pie hole of the American Metal scene. While remaining melodic to certain extent, HOPELEZZ like most of the bands alike, with their new album "Black Souls Arrive", favored pale and repeated grooves than the great IRON MAIDENish outputs. They may have a touch of the mid to late 90s IN FLAMES, meaning "Whoracle", "Colony" and "Clayman", but that small touch of glory ended rather fast. Generally, it is a fair ride but also a story of supposed evolution, but I will stress it that it is only fair.

Following the "Tragedy" intro that seemed to be consumed with sorrow as a tragic circumstance should be, HOPELEZZ got right to work with lots of energy with the unleashing of hell that is "Made Of Stainless Steel". After being evident to its great IN FLAMES oriented riffing along with a delightful main lead riff, I was really sorry that along with "The New Delight", which proved itself to as a good example of modern melodic Metal song with extra clean vocals and fine riffing, these two were the only true commodities that were offered on this here release. HOPELEZZ seem to have shifted from actual melodic Death Metal into something that resembles Metalcore or another boring version of modern Metal.

The large majority of the tracks were pretty average while others in the likes of "Devil's Ride" and "Atheist" felt lifeless. Some of "Contrapit" and "What You Think About" reminded me of KILLSWITCH ENGAGE on several areas but introduced nothing that I would have been proud about. It is not that playing a kind of melodic Metalcore is bad or anything is it just that HOPELEZZ presented something that might indicate of a great skill but in the bottom line "Black Souls Arrive" wasn't special at all but showed that there is something there.