Sundown On Humanity
Armageddon Rev. 16:16
•
February 25, 2014
Cyprus is not the most illustrious & reputed place when it's comes to Heavy Music, but the real Metal connoisseurs and the curious steel collectors are aware of a deep ancestral secret , they know that this Mediterranean little island , holds a strong potential and a fierce tradition in the old school Heavy Metal stuff, the territory is already the sacred homeland of some true Epic Metal acts such as the talented ARRAYAN PATH / ASTRONOMIKON or WINTER'S VERGE and it restrain a stupendous devoted organization, a brotherhood congregation very active in the underground, with first and foremost the label Pitch Black Records and some numerous legions of fans that are walking faithfully with pride under the might banner of the loud and mighty sound of the thunder's god.
The album "Sundown on Humanity" is the much awaited opus by the Heavy / Power Metal band ARMAGEDDON REV.16:16 's first full-length CD, however this highly respected band was formed in 1985, and it detained a fervent reputation, some kind of a legendary cult status! Indeed, in their thirty year career for those veterans, this is like the climax of a lifetime dedication, because since then they just have released some demos and EPs, but this is a fantastic step forward and a real cornerstone for them, but does is worth all the band's efforts, through all those years of waiting? "Sundown on Humanity" includes a few surprise appearances by Bob Katsionis (FIREWIND) that is guesting on keyboards and guitar, the famous Nicholas Leptos (ARRAYAN PATH, WARLORD), Tasos Karonias (R.U.S.T.) or Andreas Paraschos (BLYND) on vocals. As Mr. Katsionis also mixed and mastered the record at his own Sound Symmetry Studio in Athens, the production reveal a good density and as expected the sound is quite good, clear and crisp but not too modern very much in perfect concordance with the genre. In fact the style displayed here is Fast/energetic with high pitched vocals and sharp riffage, clearly flavored by the iconic giants tag such as GAMMA RAY / IRON SAVIOR or early LABYRINTH with an important emphasis on Heroic themes and ambiances about Fantasy and Mythology... Or only about Heavy Metal: which is always a good thing... Because Metal is the law! The album clocks at 58 minutes and close with a masterpiece full of Balkan overtones, that magnificent Epic cut "Icy Blackness (Kursk)", tells the Submarine disaster saga that occurred in the Barens Sea, as a tribute to the crew of the Russian boat Kursk that perished in the summer of 2000.
With this track ARMAGGEDON REV 16:16 shows that they have still plenty of resources and great abilities for the future to come... IMHO this is the right path! "Sundown on Humanity" is a very solid release, the players are competent and the singer Jimmy Mayromatis has a powerful and expressive voice but the songwriting is very orthodox, so nothing really new under the sun of Nicosia, so this collection of Metal songs will be valorized only in the hands and ears of the True Metalheads... No modern tricks or contemporary trendy gimmick, just the bold and solid sound of the timeless alloy that flow in our veins.
7 / 10
Good
"Sundown On Humanity" Track-listing:
1. E.K. 40 (Intro)
2. Human Sundown
3. Shades of Tomorrow
4. Strange Dreams
5. Fallen Angels and Lost Souls
6. Hypocrites of Destruction
7. New Day Will Come
8. 13-Seventh Eleven
9. Why
10. Heavy Metal
11. United
12. Icy Blackness (Kursk)
Armageddon Rev. 16:16 Lineup:
Jimmy Mayromatis - Lead Vocals
Kikis Apostolou - Guitar
Elias Andreou - Guitar
Nikolas Papaeftychiou - Bass
Kerry Elgar - Drums
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