Every Metal scene, in its birth, is a type of clone of another scene that's older. But as time passes by, a national scene starts to show a form of personal touch that belongs to the country, and can't be found on another (and if it's found, is just a carbon copy, nothing more than that). In the beginning, many influences of Metal done at UK, Germany and USA could be found on Swedish Heavy Metal, but it evolved a lot since then. And on the work of the quartet OXIDIZE heard on the EP "Stand Up for the Masses", one can check it.

The band shows the Swedish Metal DNA, but with influences of acts as SANCTUARY, ICED EARTH and others permeating the band's songs. Of course that they show something personal and full of life and energy, with those Swedish traditional Heavy Metal hooks being presented on all the songs, what turn things even more tasteful for the fans. And it's great to hear their mix between weighty, aggressiveness and catching melodies, filling an old Metal genre with a new life and energy that only can be found in their music. It's really very good. It's easy to understand everything in their music, because the sonority is really clean and defined, but at the same time, such outfit enables the band to unleash a massive weight mixed with aggressiveness, so it's everything work in its due way, and allows the fans to understand the changes of ambiences that their songs have.

This EP can be said as a fine sample of their musical work. On "Stand Up for the Masses", one can check some contrasts between heavier moments with ethereal ambiences, always filled with a great work of the vocals. On "Days Go By", the quartet comes with a song technically rich, but without exaggerations, due the rhythmic shifts supported by the strong playing of bass guitar and drums, with the same happening on "One Reason" (that has some modern elements on it). On "Frozen", the band dresses up an MADONNA's old songs with a Heavy/Power Metal outfit, and it's really amazing (especially the guitars). On "Superstition" the band uses influences of USA Heavy/Power Metal on the melodies, based on a slow set on rhythms (with bass guitar and drums sustaining the weight of the song), and on "Vision of Sorrow" (this one, a cover of ZONATA) the mix between the way of the band plays with the clear Power Metal outfit of the original version is sensible to the ears, and what great guitars.

After hearing "Stand Up for the Masses", one thing can be said for sure: that OXIDIZE is really a very good name in the Swedish Metal School, and it's a reason to look for their past works (and be waiting for the next one).