VOICE, a hard rock heavy metal band out of Germany, are back with their newest release, “Holy Or Damned”.  For those who don’t know them, VOICE are a straightforward hard rock band. They are not speed, nor use high speed or double kick bass rhythms. What you do get is heavy guitars pounding out good rockin rhythms, much like Scorpions or AC/DC with thicker darker guitars. Maybe it’s the guitar tone that puts them in the metal category. Hard rock or heavy metal, either way you classify it, the music is good. The vocals are good, mostly in the moderate range, with moments of going high. Also, they like to take their time, as in years between albums. After a hiatus from 2003 to 2017, VOICE returned with a new album. Seven years later, they released “Holy Or Damned”. This is an album well worth the wait.

 “Nevermore” leads off the album with a slow fade in. It is about a full minute before the song comes to full volume. After the intro is built up and is carried by a good driving riff, the verses stretch out the rhythm, accenting it with rests. The bridge and solo vary the tension in the song, giving it flavor. Lyrically, the song deals with feelings of revenge. “Schizo Dialogues” starts with just vocals over quiet keyboards. The melody makes it sound like something out of a Broadway musical, before the rest of the band comes in. The contrast that is created works great. “Tears In The Dust” is the soft song on the album. It comes in at seven and a half minutes, and stays soft played on melodic acoustic guitars for most of the song. It doesn’t even get heavy like a power ballad, with electric guitars and drums until the four minute twenty second mark.

There are three bonus tracks on the album. The first is “Privateer”, one of the heavier and faster tracks on the album, is a song about being a pirate or privateer. Again, it never gets into the thrash or speed metal category, but is a good heavy song with some good heavy riffs. “Petrified Dreams” starts with an ominous riff, followed by a staccato rhythm. The overall feeling created is dark and foreboding. The song deals with being stuck or petrified, and forever looking at one’s sins. The promo material says this song is inspired by the story of Lot and his wife from the bible. Lot’s wife was turned into a pillar of salt, when she looked back at  the destruction of Sodom. This song takes it a step further. “Holy Or Damned” is a good album that at times is hard rock and other times metal. It is filled with songs that are well written, dealing with life and the various troubles and trials it contains. Musically, it has good heavy riffs, some tempo changes, and good driving rhythms.