There are moments when a band is playing that, when you hear its work and it really calls you attention. It's because you are hearing something different, that you're not truly used to hear. And being honest: the Arizona quintet VEHEMENCE is really great, as their new album, "Forward Without Motion" shows clearly.

My personal experience: I started to hear the album and found very good melodies. "Wow, what a good traditional Heavy Metal or Power Metal band!" was my thought, but soon, the guttural grunts took over and some nasty aggressiveness started.

Yes, these guys are a very good and brutal Melodic Death Metal band, but not in the sense that the melodies are under the brutality. Both are well balanced here, creating a music that is technical (but without being extreme in this way), melodic and brutal, but always with very good taste. And it's excellent!

Bjorn Dannov and Kyle Moeller produced the album, with Kyle doing the mixing and mastering as well. The quality is not perfect, and could be better sometimes. But it's heavy and clear enough for them to do a fine work. And that's what really matters.

Their nine songs are all very good, because "Forward Without Fear" is an excellent album.

I dared to point to "I Don't Want To Look Inside" and its excellent work on rhythmic session (bass and drums are great, both on melodic moments and on the harsh ones), the technical and melodic "Imagining The Loss" (with excellent melodic riffs, but with a tempo that is not as fast as many would say, or so slow that could put some bitterness on the song), the violently melodic "Murdered By The Earth" (where the contrast between guttural grunts and harsh screams is excellent; pay attention to the guitars), the hooking tempos we hear on "Jim The Prophet", the assault of violent melodies and technique called "A Dark Figure In The Distance" (where some more melodic moments are heard, creating a tender atmosphere in the middle of brutality. And hear as well some pretty whispered voices), the brutal grasp on "She Fucks Like She's Alive", and the wonderful "There Are So Many Reasons To Give Up On Religion" as their finest moments. But do not dare to not hear the others, that are excellent as well, or the two bonus songs, "I Take Your Life" and "Reconditioning The Flock".

This is a great album, and VEHEMENCE is an extraordinary band!