PROJECT EVIL is a classic Heavy Metal band from Florence, Italy. This is their first full-length album since they changed name in 2016. They were previously known as SECRET PROJECT. They have been active on the local scene since 2006. The opening song begins a stretched-out intro, just a bit of guitars and the singer comes on. The intro remind me a bit of ''Intro to Reality'' by ANTHRAX back in the day of the instrumental songs from METALLICA in the eighties. It's slow, its methodical. It reminds me a lot of old school QUEENSRYCHE. Long drawn-out intros that evolve into something quite powerful. The vocalist had some pretty decent range, definitely not the most powerful vocalist I have heard. He does remind me of Michael Kiske with a bit of Ralf Scheepers mixed-in. His vocal styling does work well with the overall sound of the band nonetheless.

They are really a mix of Old School Heavy Metal band but most of the songs resembled early CANDLEMASS. It's slower than I thought and the high-pitched vocals do add an original touch to these songs. One thing I have to add is the production isn't top notched. The vocals seem to be way too loud for the rest of the band. They may have done this on purpose, I am not entirely sure but I felt the vocalist was drowning the rest of the band on most of the songs. It gets irritating throughout the album to be perfectly honest.

I did see a few live videos on their YouTube page and they have a very strong stage presence, to be honest. I thought they sounded better live than on CD. You can feel the energy on their live shows but on CD, I thought it was pretty bland. Like I said beforehand, the production values hurt the overall quality of the album. I have problems hearing the other band members and yeah, I understand that they are a new band out there and may not have the means for a better production, but still.

The album does go fast; it's pretty seamless. One song goes to another, it's pretty smooth actually and the transition between each song is pretty good. Most of the songs do resemble each other; I felt they were pretty interchangeable except the first song. No song really stood out in my mind, each song has its energy but it sure ain't gonna reinvent the wheel. That's why I didn't really pinpoint any particular song. It's still pretty enjoyable, reminds me of the early 80's Heavy Metal and it does capture the vibe of those years. It's a nod to the old school (ARMORED SAINT represent!) and they do a good job of continuing that prior legacy. I wish them well and I think they will grow as a band, they just need a better production and people will truly appreciate the band as a whole. <