RISE TO ADDICTION :: View topic - "A New Shade of Black for the Soul" Reviews!!

Site Admin Joined: 14 Jun 2006 Posts: 91

LOUCIFER SPEAKS (UK)

http://www.louciferspeaks.com/cdreview/risetoaddiction.html

Site Admin Joined: 14 Jun 2006 Posts: 91

ADRENALIN FANZINE (USA)

http://www.adrenalinfanzine.com/reviews.html#R

RISE TO ADDICTION - "A NEW SHADE OF BLACK FOR THE SOUL" - (Mausaleum Records)

Style - Traditional Metal

Origin - Sheffield, UK

Rob's Review:

SO. It's getting to the point now that I'm doing exactly what I absolutely hated as a young metalhead by prematurely judging the proverbial book by its cover. In this case I'm not really sure why but for some reason the name and cover art screamed Metalcore. We see a lot of it here at Adrenalinland so I guess I've contracted some mild form of itchy trigger finger.

Well no more dammit! Because what I heard has blown my expectations to pieces by what can only be described as the cleanest, clearest, purist legitimate breath of fresh air to come out of metal in a while. And that says a lot coming from a jackass like me.

Honestly, I was blown away the minute "Cold Season" hit my headphones and sat misty-eyed through the duration of the disc thinking, finally someone gets it. They're not Nu Metal, Rap Metal, Alt Metal or any other commercial label you can dream up. Nor are they Grind, Stoner, Death, Black, Power or Scream-o (thank god). No, this is the long lost art of pure, high grade, street value, straight forward...Metal.

RISE TO ADDICTION has put together an album that has the bank of memorable riffs and the air to breath between them, a wealth of dynamics without drowning themselves in technical madness, and finally...

FINALLY, a singer who can fucking sing! And sing his nuts off at that. Ahh, the lost art of singing is making a return. Hallelujah! If I heard one more band with those Alt metal vocals I was going to have to slit my wrists and bleed out on the soiled floor of a public bathroom in some desolate backwoods park. Just to really drive the point home of my disgust. Unfortunately, I probably haven’t heard the last of it though which makes RISE TO ADDICTION all the more captivating.

And to top it off you have an album that is produced by true talent with a considerable ear for Metal in Andy Sneap. Andy "Nevermore, Opeth, Trivium, etc." Sneap. Nothing better than having a kickass metal band SOUND kickass.

I can with clear mind and true conviction place this album alongside Machinehead's "The Blackening" and Trivium's "The Crusade" as flag flying recent albums that are pushing Metal forward into new AND classic territory.

www.risetoaddiction.com - www.myspace.com/risetoaddiction

Rating: 10/10

Site Admin Joined: 14 Jun 2006 Posts: 91

CONGLETON CHRONICLE (UK)

Site Admin Joined: 14 Jun 2006 Posts: 91

SEA OF TRANQUILITY (USA)

http://www.seaoftranquility.org/reviews.php?op=showcontent&id=6374

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Rise To Addiction: A New Shade Of Black For The Soul - 4/5

U.K. Metal band Rise To Addiction, have a solid release with their debut CD, A New Shade Of Black For The Soul (Mausoleum Records) produced by Metal magic making producer Andy Sneap (the mighty Stuck Mojo & many others). 12 songs with heavy 'in your face' guitars (that you would expect from Andy Sneap, as well as a killer tone) with catchy hooks that linger in your head with really good, emotional, 'heart on the sleeve' type of vocals. Heavy yet very radio friendly stuff here.

The CD opens with the track "Cold Season" that would easily find a home on any modern day Rock radio station, which basically sets the pace of this record. Rise To Addiction make it clear from the outset that they are out to grab your attention with A New Shade Of Black For The Soul. There is enough of a Metal twinge to make heavier fans happy, while also making their tunes accessible to more mainstream Rock fans. RTA do all of this while allowing themselves to stretch out on songs like "Everlasting Wave", that shows some nice songwriting chops, and provides a nice moody landscape. Vocals are handled by Leigh Oates, who honestly hits the ball out of the park with his tastefully soul wrenching pipes and are a consistent highlight throughout this record. No EMO whining on here and thank god! Imagine Badmotorfinger era Soundgarden, Chris Cornell mixed with Whitfield Crane of Ugly Kid Joe/Life Of Agony..goosebump stuff for sure.

RTA deliver some great performances all over this record. From the great soloing and heavy breakdowns of "To A God Unknown", to the slow, 8 plus minute Prog Rock feel of "Fessonia", guitarists John Slater & Steve Wray, bassist Joel Graham and drummer Aynsley Dickinson all tear it up on ew Shade Of Black For The Soul. The band has found a way of making a really good record that really never repeats itself. It finds itself easily radio ready, while being pretty heavy and never alienating either the harder rock fan or the mainstream fan. The Prog Rock fan will even find a few tracks that they can easily gravitate towards.

The amazing producer Andy Sneap, has once again found a new band to put his sonic stamp on and if you are a fan of catchy, well written Hard Rock songs with excellent vocals and solid riffy guitars that scream out with big hooks, then Rise To Addiction might be the band for you. A super solid debut CD!

Track Listing

A New Shade
Cold Season
Moth To A Flame
Falling As One
Low
One Sweet Minute
This Ride
Everlasting Wave
I Follow
To A God Unknown
Fessonia
The Hive

Site Admin Joined: 14 Jun 2006 Posts: 91

TEETH OF THE DIVINE (USA)

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