Rekuiem – Time Will Tell (Majestic Rock)
By Michael Ballue
February 22, 2006
Here’s a long awaited one for me. Rekuiem started out as Requiem and released one of the best NWOBHM singles ever “Angel of Sin”/”Sacrificial Wanderer” in 1980. And then there was nothing further until 2002's demo The Black Death. While not quite living up to the 7", the demo made a solid statement of continued validity and earned repeated spins with it’s NWOBHM updated metal thrust. Seriously good stuff showcasing a very high standard of song writing and musicianship. Last year word began to circulate that the band (three original members + ex-Tredegar vocalist Paul Parry) were working on a new album. A website followed and I’ve been salivating with anticipation ever since.
So the wait is over and I hit play........”Nightmare” comes storming out of the speakers, a welcome return from the demo all NWOBHM bravado and tuneful (am I the only one that finds the verse melody and riff bringing a memory of early Michael Schenker Group?). The sound is great with clear modern production values giving punch and clarity to a classic sound rather than detracting from it. “Wildfire” follows and shows the band haven’t lost a step since the demo in songwriting quality. Third up is “Sinners” a great new tune with a pounding 80's metal riff; you can just see the sea of raised fists with studded wrist bands. Next up is the title track which starts off acoustic and moody and builds into a full pounding shrapnel riffed metal stormer. This one’s a good track to introduce the band on: guitarist Steve Slater in addition to the above mentioned riffs peels out stellar melodic biting leads, drummer Karl Wilcox pounds the skins and cymbals crisply and adroitly, bassist Gordon Denny fills it all in knowing when to stay in the pocket and when to venture out. On top of it all new member Paul Parry provides classic metal vocalizations, melodic and powerful, forceful and full of clarity all at once. The great thing about this disc is that all those qualities are available on all the tunes......over an hour of killer metal.
Following the title track is “Werewolf”, one of my favorite tunes on this disc. A particularly appropriate and ominous sample intro leads into the first riff which is an awesome doom tinged blast from the heart of metal glory. As the song unfolds this riff alternates with a more uptempo gallop until it all slowly fades in howling guitar and more ominous sample narration over pounding rhythm. If this one doesn’t get your head banging you’re not a metal head period. And did I mention that one also features guest guitar work from Brian Tatler of Diamond Head? Now we come to what is a somewhat difficult but definitely ballsy move.....covering “Paranoid” and taking it into really different territory. My initial listen was a mixture of admiration for the guts involved and discomfort at hearing a whole new twist on a classic. Repeated listens are developing a deep appreciation for the newness and greatly increased metal quotient. Final analysis: not just courage but brilliance. Track 7 is another welcome return from the demo “Black Death” once more bringing the doom tinge back into the riffing as a dark tale of plague tragedy unfolds...most metal bands would be fortunate to write one tune this good and it’s to Rekuiem’s credit that this is not alone in it’s class.
“In Your Keeping” continues the juggernaut of solid metal tunes, once more the riffing so through and through classic metal it’s jaw dropping. And now the journey brings us to the classic tunes off the 7". “Angel of Sin” has a to the bone NWOBHM riff, a to the bone NWOBHM song structure and so on and so on; it would be hard to find a more representative song for that genre. As with the following song, I do find myself missing Mike Reid’s mournful vocals. That’s not to say that Paul Parry doesn’t do a very admirable job, he does. It’s just to say that the vocals were a big part of what made that single so special. Next (and final for some versions of this) is the other side of the 7" “Sacrificial Wanderer” an epic monster of light and dark, a moving tale of a lone warrior’s soul struggle. Beautiful and menacing, absolutely riveting...just a great song.
Having gotten the Japanese version I was treated to “Death Row “ as a bonus track. There is no way most bands would use a song this good as just a bonus track, but then most bands are not Rekuiem. A wonderful addition and another metal volley of slightly doom flavored riffing, rhythmic battery and heart felt singing. With this now out, Pagan Altar’s 3rd LP coming, release of archival material from Desolation Angels and Hell on the way from Miskatoinc and a possibility of something from the re-activated Apocalypse this could be a real banner year for those into the dark underground of the NWOBHM. This is fully a lot longer than most reviews I write, but then I’ve been underactive around here of late and few release could deserve it more than this. A top 5 of the year for me without question.
Visit the Rekuiem website at www.rekuiem.com
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