This release could not be any more welcome.  This year has been nothing short of hit or miss with the better releases thus far being on the fringe of even a seasoned underground Metal fan's taste.  Why waste any more time, though, and take away from the focus of this review, Portland's own IDLE HANDS?  Formed just two years ago, "Mana" is the band's first full-length, out now via Eisenwald.  Consisting of former members of SPELLCASTER, the band is led by Gabriel Franco on vocals and guitar.

"Nightfall" opens up the record and immediately grabs the listener's attention.  Just over three and a half minutes, one gets a taste of the band's sound: high-octane classic Heavy Metal adorned with shades of classic Gothic overtones.  The end result is a highly infectious sound that wedges itself into one's brain with abundant melody and fresh brew of creativity.  "Cosmic Overdrive," the third track, further ingratiates the spell upon the listener with its upbeat darkness.  One gets the feeling of a dance party graveside with perhaps a bit of moshing on the side.

"Don't Waste Your Time," fourth in line, is a mellower affair.  Halfway through, a cleverly arranged solo decorates the song between simple melodies that echo past greats such as SISTERS OF MERCY.  The big difference, though, is that this is from a Metal perspective.  Perhaps the best description is that the band sounds like GRAVE PLEASURES played by a classic Heavy Metal band.  Maybe it is the other way around.  It is really for the listener to decide, though.

IDLE HANDS excel in that they offer up a sound that while composed of familiar elements, sounds immediately fresh.  There truly is no other band that sounds like this.  How often can that really be said these days?  This is a sound that if promoted correctly could really be huge for these songs are so very infectious and catchy.  There is still enough Metal, though, to keep the die-hards happy.  "Blade and the Will," the sixth track is an excellent example of this.  The catchy chorus is propped up by stellar double bass work.

The guitar work presented here is exceptional.  it is a marriage of two different worlds that is the key to the winning formula.  At one end is the creamy, chorus-filled, melodic-inclined, texture-based guitar work that frames the songs while at the other is a high-gain, classic Metal sound.  This marriage can be clearly heard on the seventh track, "Dragon, Why Do You Cry?"  Simply put, these are well-crafted songs that are sure to impress myriad music fans.

IDLE HANDS have an instantly classic sound that could really blow up.  I would honestly love to see that happen.  Unlike most albums, when I first heard this one, I listened to it straight through a few more times.  With each listen came something new to take away.  The songs on "Mana" are written with blood, sweat, and spirit, deeply personal, an open-letter to the world.  These are songs that are framed simply but capitalize on a seemingly endless well of creativity as they blend the best of two worlds. To miss this would be to miss out on one of the most impressive, exciting full-length debuts in a very long time, an original take on Gothic style and Heavy Metal delivery.