Sons of Ares - The Horned God
Metal
Georgia, U.S.
Overall Impression: With its chugging riffs, snarl-infused vocal ferocity, and dark apocalyptic lyrical themes, "The Horned God" offers up all the essential ingredients that a doom metal lover could possibly ask for, and certainly doesn't skimp on generous portion sizes. Son Of Ares offers up a gloriously heavy slab of dirt-fueled metal that feels both deliciously raw and razor-sharp in its execution, and from the ominous presence that the lyrics conjure up to the sheer brutality of the music and the aggressive nature of the performances that bring it to life, "The Horned God" takes no prisoners.
Strongest Point(s): There's a great deal of variety throughout with regard to both the riff and lead ideas, I particularly like the way in which the rhythm guitar riffs are harmonized in certain places, helping to create that strong melody-infused twin-guitar attack that will forever sound great. The ferocity of the track's many riffs and hard-hitting percussive elements is perfectly complimented by the stylistically-fitting vocal performance that fronts the song, the vocals have just enough of that essential aggressiveness in order to be effective without ever masking the lyrics themselves, ensuring the themes of the lyrics come through clearly and are easy to engage with. The way the lead guitar solo injects further melody into the track is great and helps add that extra bit of excitement to the arrangement. The Phrygian sound the lead guitar adopts helps create a particularly dark and ominous tonal quality which further enhances the overall brutish nature of the music brilliantly and it's clear that a great deal of thought has gone into how it's structured.
Target Audience Appeal: This is definitely one for the doom metal lovers and I'm sure fans of the style will have a great time with the track.
Artist target suggestions: Candlemass, Orange Goblin, Melvins, The Sword, Cathedral, Pallbearer, My Dying Bride, Paradise Lost, Conan, Ahab, Reverand Bizarre, Black Sabbath, Trouble, Saint Vitus, Celtic Frost, Monolord
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About the Reviewer:
Andre Avanessian is a freelance session musician, composer, and sound engineer based in the U.K. Having studied music production and composition at a degree level, he has taken his passion for all things audio-related to a level that has allowed him to become both a competent musician and performer. Being a self-confessed "Guitar Nerd" Andre has been continually studying the guitar as well as teaching it, helping students learn the instrument, develop their songwriting, and become more proficient in home recording.