As Our Army Grows

When it comes to releasing new music, quality and not quantity seems to be the work ethic of this U.K. based metal band. Besides several demos, they have only released one E.P. and two full length albums in their 10 year existence with their first full length album Second Sight released in 2004. For their new album, As Our Army Grows, vocalist Sean Hetherington and company have once again employed the services of Threshold members Karl Groom and Rick West (who also provides some keyboards) to handle the production duties for the band's first album for their new label Napalm Records. The result is another fine album of traditional heavy metal/power metal that has a flair for the dramatic as well as lots of hooks and melody; all fuelled by the powerful and strong voice of Sean Hetherington and the dual guitar attack of Nick Palmer and Dave Peak.

As I stated in my review for their Second Sight album, if you're a fan of Iced Earth, especially the Matt Barlow era and albums like The Dark Saga and Something Wicked This Way Comes then Intense is just what you've been looking for especially if you haven't been warm to the more grandiose and epic turn to Iced Earth with Tim "Ripper" Owens on the mike. The album opener Anger Of The Ancients is a prime example of the Iced Earth feel of Intense. Make no mistake, there's no "ripping off" going on here but with their heavy and furious double bass fuelled heavy metal sound, leather lunged Matt Barlow style vocals by Sean Hetherington and Iron Maiden flavored guitar harmonies, there's definitely a passing nod to Jon Schaffer and company going on here. With Our Last Hope, epic Warning era Queensryche is ever present with the ominous tone, harmony riffs and great soaring emotional vocals in a track that slowly builds in intensity (no pun intended!) and tempo to produce what I feel is Intense's finest hour. For me, no one single track on any of their albums really showcases all that this band has to offer in such a complete package! The Iced Earth power ballad style of tracks like Watching Over You is revisited for Insanity's Call, a track that alternates between quiet and heavy segments with yet another outstanding vocal by Sean Hetherington and some very Dave Murray sounding expressive front pickup lead guitar work. Other tracks like Mirror Shroud, You Die Today and Temptress all feature more mid tempo heavy metal with some keyboard accents by Threshold's Rich West to add atmospheric and epic qualities.

With the Chronicles Of The New Flesh (Trilogy), we get Intense's answer to Iced Earth's Something Wicked trilogy. Similar in it's approach and arrangement, it is based on the 1983 film Videodrome by David Cronenberg. Trojan Submission has a more thrashy Testament, Megadeth feel while the second part Strange New World begins with piano and acoustic guitar and slowly builds in intensity and should satisfy the thirst of Judas Priest fans who want more of the Deceiver/Dreamer Deceiver style of Priest on their Sad Wings Of Destiny album. The soaring chorus and emotional vocal by Sean top this track off very nicely. With the third part of the trilogy Long Live The New Flesh, we get a massive tour-de-force that is based on a great up tempo feel, lots of guitar harmonies and explosive lead work as well as some Iron Maiden epic qualities. The track ends with voice-overs from the classic cult movie that explored the role of television in the future as a tool for mind control and manipulation.

I really like the Second Sight album but this new one, As Our Army Grows definitely surpasses that one both in overall sound and exceptional song "crafting" and is easily the best thing this band has ever done. There are no weak tracks to be found here and favorites are all a matter of personal taste. Sean Hetherington has more of a "shouting" vocal style but he is able to infuse lots of melody into their music; something that is obviously very important to this band. Fending off any temptation at modernization in sound by using de-tuned guitars etc, this band's roots are firmly implanted in the finest tradition of classic U.S. power metal mixed with epic qualities of bands like Iron Maiden and older Queensryche with an abundance of guitar harmonies and thematic riff breaks. Top it off with a touch of thrash metal recklessness and you have a nice tasty recipe for a great heavy metal band.

Check out their MySpace page here for song samples.