One man, two Songs, and barrage of Blacken Death Metal; fantastic. "The Lost Ones", the first EP from BLOODRED, is a German powerhouse of hammers and harmony. Due to a lack of musicians in the local Oberstenfeld area where BLOODRED is based, the sole master and commander is Ron Merz, writer, guitarist, bass player, programmer and singer. Because of this, BLOODRED is currently a studio only project. What the "The Lost Ones" lack's in length certainly is made up for in production. The EP's namesake and the first of the two tracks, "The Lost Ones", has a thick and solid sound; it jumps between Black and Death metal, slumping into a classic thrash stance before powering back into off into the darkness again. The delivery is top notch, with the sound quality and musicianship being as far removed from a solo project as you can be. Track two, "Spirits of the Dead", is another reverberating colossus delivering more of the same. But it's the underlying harmonies that pull "Spirits of the Dead" together brilliantly. What starts at a fast pace, seems to get faster as the song goes on, but it's the slower harmonies played underneath the main riffs that calm the ferocity and add more depth to a structure that would be somewhat unforgiving and emotionless if they weren't there. Where "The Lost Ones" draws its influences from is as vast as it is wide. BLOODRED harness moments of early European Black Metal, have a modern Death Metal march, and there's even some prototypal "Kill 'em all" classic Thrash elements, but it is all been pulled together with an added touch of uniqueness. BLOODRED have manufactured a melting pot of virtue with "The Lost Ones", giving you just a little taste. Hopefully there is more where this came from, and hopefully we don't have to wait too long.<