Saturday 27 February 2016

Rebel Wizard - ‘Invocation of the Miserable Ones' EP (Review)

By: Daniel Jackson

Album Type: EP
Date Released: 11/12/2015
Label: Independent


If you can handle the programmed drums, you’re in for 17 minutes of truly fantastic music. The riffs here are remarkable.  Lead off instrumental “Too Late” is mid tempo heavy metal bliss, perfectly striking a balance between 80s Judas Priest with European-style melody a sound that returns for “On the Unknown Self They Ride”. Elsewhere, we’re treated to a muscular speed metal/power metal hybrid on “A Place to Rest the Dead Inside is Never to Be Found”, complete with locomotive double kick.  The quality here is best of the year list-worthy, if given the kind of production this music truly deserves.


‘Invocation of the Miserable Ones’ DD track listing:

1. Too Late
2. A Place to Rest the Dead Inside is Never to Be Found
3. On the Unknown Self They Ride
4. Invocation of the Miserable Ones

The Review:

This review, much like this EP, will be quick and to the point.

Rebel Wizard’s a one-man operation, and it sounds like it. I don’t mean that in a negative context, either. What I mean is that outside of a handful of exceptions, you’re not going to find too many solitary metal projects that sound like full-fledged bands. The vast majority of musicians aren’t going to be able to play drums, bass, guitar and do vocals all at a high level in a studio setting. So, some concessions end up getting made, and you work with what you can, because there either aren’t suitable band mates in your area, or you just don’t fucking like other people. Whichever the personal case may be when talking about NKSV and Rebel Wizard, the one big concession at work here is drums and drum programming. If you’re able to deal with some pretty barebones, obviously programmed drums, you’re going to love the hell out of this album. If not, it’s going to be a tough sell.

If you can handle the programmed drums, you’re in for 17 minutes of truly fantastic music. The riffs here are remarkable. Lead off instrumental “Too Late” is mid tempo heavy metal bliss, perfectly striking a balance between 80s Judas Priest with European-style melody a sound that returns for “On the Unknown Self They Ride”. Elsewhere, we’re treated to a muscular speed metal/power metal hybrid on “A Place to Rest the Dead Inside is Never to Be Found”, complete with locomotive double kick. The vocals are done in a black metal style with added distortion layer on top for added filth, which gives the EP a sense of old Witchery by way of Anaal Nathrakh.

The larger point is that these are riffs that deserve better than to be discounted because of their sonic surroundings. I would urge you strongly to do your best to accept or look past the mechanical sound of the drums, because these songs are absolutely worth the effort. The quality here is best of the year list-worthy, if given the kind of production this music truly deserves. Still, I understand the circumstances that lead to this kind of recording quality, and it’s usually out of necessity rather than lack of effort.

‘Invocation of the Miserable Ones’ is available here



Band info: Facebook