Style: progressive heavy/power metal (clean vocals)
Recommended for fans of: Sanctuary, early Fates Warning, Nevermore, King Diamond
Review by: Sam
Country: United Kingdom
Release date: 10 September, 2021
For some reason I always run into bands which – allegedly – sound like Sanctuary. Those bands play a progressive version of either heavy/power metal or power/thrash metal, have rather nasal and/or high pitched vocals, are very riff-driven, and generally sound a lot like Nevermore. Earlier this year I was reviewing Silver Talon, and on my own time I was worshiping Witherfall’s new album Curse of Autumn and Manticora’s masterpiece from last year To Live to Kill to Live (what a mouthful), and perpetrating this trend we now have Hunted. It is therefore only natural that I – being a proper reviewer and all – perform some quality research by continuing to ignore Sanctuary for all eternity.
Hunted is a four-piece from Wales. They’re not the most prolific band ever – having formed in 2006 with this only being their sophomore album following their debut 11 years ago. But all can be forgiven if the music is good. After all, quality matters more than quantity, right? By and large, Deliver Us succeeds at being good. Swirling tech riffs open the record, and along with the strikingly good high-pitched vocals they quickly establish that this is indeed about to be a good time. The song is an immediate banger with a multitude of solos, a catchy chorus, a bridge packed to the brim with different sections, and even blast beats with harsh vocals! And all of that happens in only 3 minutes! I must again affirm that this record boutta be a good time.
The second song “Salvation on a String” highlights a more dramatic side of the band. The main riff makes you think it’s gonna be a classic mid-tempo heavy metal rocker, but it drops into an ominous verse with brooding synths, and two minutes in it turns into a gentle progressive affair with a heartfelt solo over soft acoustics. And just when you think it goes back into casual heavy metal, the harsh vocals return with the synths more dramatic than ever. I’m not entirely convinced that the juxtaposition of the casual heavy metal with the dramatic progressive side works, but it’s an interesting cut for sure, and certainly unpredictable. That unpredictable aspect carries over to the rest of the album. For a sound as inherently limited as this, they do an immense job keeping you on your toes.
Something I don’t often say about bands like this is that they shine during the softer parts, but Hunted have this nailed down to a T. Heavy/power metal can obtain this mystical quality in softer parts when done right, which is something acts like Crimson Glory and Fates Warning became famous for in the 80s, and now Hunted succeed at it too. It makes the record very well-paced, for the majority of the music is drenched in the almighty riff, so these softer sections give some nice reprieve. And speaking of riff, it matters not how technical the passages get, there’s always some kick-ass riff going on. Speedy power metal riffs, mid-tempo heavy metal rockers, tech thrash, it’s all there. Steve Barberini brings his absolute A-game here. His tone is great too. Very clear and sharp. Which brings me to the mixing. I like it a lot. There’s enough polish to make the album sound modern, but there’s enough breathing room and dirt to make it sound old-school. You can hear every aspect clearly should you so desire. This is how music like this should sound in my opinion.
By all accounts, Deliver Us is a winner. This is a band with great chemistry and technical ability, who also happen to possess a talent for songwriting. If you’re looking for a record that riffs hard, but remains melodic (and you’re not allergic to 80s metal cheese), this is where you should look. Quality has prevailed over quantity indeed. And though I will continue to ignore Sanctuary because I’m a hipster, I will be Hunted for my ignorance for quite some time.
Recommended tracks: Velvet Worm, Burning Ones, One More Time
You may also like: Starborn, Silver Talon, Witherfall, Leviathan (US-CO)
Final verdict: 8/10
Related links: Bandcamp | Spotify | Official Website | Facebook | Metal-Archives page
Label: Pitch Black Records – Bandcamp | Website | Facebook
Hunted is:
– Chris G. (vocals)
– Steve Barberini (guitars)
– Jon Letson (bass)
– Matthew Thomas (drums)
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