SHADOWKEEP

A Chaos Theory

Limb Music/SPV
rating icon 5 / 10

Track listing:

01. A Distant Paradox
02. Seventeen
03. Beware The Signs
04. Thorns And A Rose
05. Believe
06. Atalanta Fugiens
07. A War Of Principles
08. Fear And Loathing
09. The Kether's Syndrome
10. A Crack In The Mirror
11. Chaosgenesis
12. Lucifer's Pastime


A couple of years ago, SHADOWKEEP were apparently hailed within underground circles as one of the most promising English traditional bands on the block, accumulating plaudits and support slots (with DIO and HALFORD) alike. When you bear in mind though that much of this scene stinks like month-old kippers, it doesn't attest too much to the quality of SHADOWKEEP themselves. Members of recent incarnations of old timers ANGEL WITCH and TYGERS OF PAN TANG find themselves on board herein, but even they can't make "A Chaos Theory" get up and go musically.

With the sound desk manned by fellow countryman Carl Groom of THRESHOLD fame (themselves a band who took time to find their feet, it should be noted),"A Chaos Theory" operates amidst a fairly sharp production. But that, with all the generous optimism in the world, is about as good as it gets.

As a whole, the albums pitches itself around about the year 1984: "Seventeen" works on that bleating vocal and mid-paced lumber so common of bands who so desperately wanted to be as notable as QUEENSRŸCHE or CRIMSON GLORY at that time, "Fear and Loathing" contains painfully ordinary double-bass drum action, "Lucifer's Pastime" is the twelfth track on the album, by which time you'll be so numb that you'll neglect to focus on how it actually sounds.

Usually, this variety of metal can stand or fall by the standard of its vocalist, yet as ordinary as the oddly named Rogue M's voice is, his wailing is eclipsed in the dullness stakes by the remainder of his bandmates' flaccid output. And if they were trying to redeem themselves by pulling a musical quirk out of the sack, then allowing Scott Higham to plagiarize MAIDEN's "Where Eagles Dare" drum intro on "Atalanta Fugiens" is not the way to win friends.

On the strength of "A Chaos Theory" they shouldn't have too many of those at the record store either…

Author:
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • reddit
  • email

Comments Disclaimer And Information

BLABBERMOUTH.NET uses the Facebook Comments plugin to let people comment on content on the site using their Facebook account. The comments reside on Facebook servers and are not stored on BLABBERMOUTH.NET. To comment on a BLABBERMOUTH.NET story or review, you must be logged in to an active personal account on Facebook. Once you're logged in, you will be able to comment. User comments or postings do not reflect the viewpoint of BLABBERMOUTH.NET and BLABBERMOUTH.NET does not endorse, or guarantee the accuracy of, any user comment. To report spam or any abusive, obscene, defamatory, racist, homophobic or threatening comments, or anything that may violate any applicable laws, use the "Report to Facebook" and "Mark as spam" links that appear next to the comments themselves. To do so, click the downward arrow on the top-right corner of the Facebook comment (the arrow is invisible until you roll over it) and select the appropriate action. You can also send an e-mail to blabbermouthinbox(@)gmail.com with pertinent details. BLABBERMOUTH.NET reserves the right to "hide" comments that may be considered offensive, illegal or inappropriate and to "ban" users that violate the site's Terms Of Service. Hidden comments will still appear to the user and to the user's Facebook friends. If a new comment is published from a "banned" user or contains a blacklisted word, this comment will automatically have limited visibility (the "banned" user's comments will only be visible to the user and the user's Facebook friends).