Style: Alt Metal, Traditional Prog Metal (clean vocals)
Recommended for fans of: Disturbed, Alter Bridge, Fates Warning
Review by: Mark
Country: Greece
Release date: July 8, 2022
I don’t want to be another one of those guys to aggressively gate-keep when it comes to genre labels, but something about this one gave me a moment’s pause. Genre tags can set up certain expectations when going into a record and, consequently, this can have an impact on our overall experience with it. Fans of the metal sub-genres are notorious for splitting hairs when it comes to appropriately categorizing a piece of music (probably one of the many things no one likes about us) and, more often than not, these discussions end with wild accusations of ignorance or, god forbid, elitism. However, with so many albums being independently released by bands themselves, sub-genre labels can also be an insight into a band’s understanding of their own music and what audience they are trying to target.
Blood for Heaven is the debut release of Greece’s Spektrvm and comes packaged with the label “modern metal”. It seems like there are countless interpretations of what this means generally, but what really matters is what exactly Spektrvm meant when they gave it this label. Unfortunately, what becomes clear by the end of this album is that this moniker is more a result of uncertainty rather than confidence.
First impressions are good. The artwork from Remedy Art Design that covers the album and the corresponding singles is excellent, and the band have made an effort to maintain consistency in their aesthetic presentation. Furthermore, the production of the album itself opens clear and balanced, with the intro track “Gift of Oizys” hosting lush reverbs and synth textures that could easily present a Fates Warning record. When things kick into gear, it seems we’re in store for 45 minutes of traditional prog metal bangers but, unfortunately, when Spektrvm try to get clever is when things start to falter.
Composition is where these boys seem to struggle. For the most part, the album is firmly placed in alternative metal territory in the vein of the Disturbed or Alter Bridge, using comparatively boilerplate writing, diatonic minor harmony, and fairly restrained performances all round. Make no mistake, this is by no means a bad thing. Another Fortress would be a very welcome addition to my collection. However, issues start to arise as the band attempts to wander into more “progressive” territory.
The structures of the songs favour unexpected turns at the expense of appropriate pacing, and it ends up feeling like no section has been given the right amount of attention or the appropriate amount of time to soak in for the listener. Although not as common, some of the tracks also contain painfully jarring rhythm changes, such as those found on the titular “Blood for Heaven”, that certainly do little to remedy the structural issues.
As far as progressive elements go, this is about the extent of it and is what brings my attention right back to that “modern metal” label. The attempt to bring in these less ubiquitous elements feels half-hearted, and I feel Spektrvm would have done so much better if they doubled down on the more radio-ready elements along with the darker vibe found on tracks like “Trying to Breathe” and “Without Borders”. It comes across as though the band themselves didn’t see a direct “progressive metal” label as suitable, however, the actual composition of their music is saying otherwise and the end result is an album with proginess that is tacked on and clumsily implemented. Half-committing to something as aggressively policed as progressive music can be a recipe for disaster if not done with careful attention and a very gifted hand.
There are some things that Spektrvm do well on Blood for Heaven. The standout feature on any given song is normally the guitar solo section, which is not something I ever find myself saying. The band have added just the right amount of rhythmic and harmonic variety to the accompanying instruments in these sections to allow them to feel both dynamic and cohesive, however, these moments are few and far between.
Although certainly commendable as a debut work and professionally presented, Blood for Heaven is not adding very much to the equation overall and lacks focus. Given time to identify and nurture their strengths, I would be interested to see what Spektrvm do next, but for now, it’s a pass
Recommended tracks: Trying to Breathe, Blood for Heaven
You may also like: Art of Illusion, Keoma, White Walls
Final verdict: 5/10
Related links: Bandcamp | Spotify | YouTube | Facebook | Instagram | Metal-Archives page
Label: Sliptrick Records – Bandcamp | Website | Facebook
Spektrvm is:
– Thanos Zabetakis (vocals)
– George Zikas (guitars)
– Nicholas Dhamo (guitars)
– Michael Pouliezos (bass)
– Lyo Panagiotopoulos (drums)
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