(Power Metal) [CD] SuddenFlames - Death Might Be Late - 2009, WavPack (image+.cue), lossless

Jean-Robert Letarte: vocals / Sebastien Latulippe: guitar, death vocal
Eric Vaillancourt: guitar / Pascal Landry: bass
Eric Morissette: drums

REVIEW FROM METAL TO INFINITY:

Canada strikes back with a vengeance! Well, a little vengeance to be honest because this immense country has never been not ‘too big’ in the Metal scene. Since the mighty eighties this land delivered us fantastic bands like Anvil, Annihilator, VoiVod, Infernal Majesty, Eidolon, DBC,… but am I exaggerating if I say none of these bands really broke through and received world domination? Even the last few years we discovered fantastic stuff from out there, think about 3 Inches Of Blood, Ice Vinland, Eidolon, Antiquus,… but also they couldn’t conquer the world or even worse; they never got the fair chance to make any name and stayed far underground. This scene is in other words still underrated although it seems the scene knows a real ‘boost’ nowadays… Is this because of Anvil, the ultimate icon of Canadian Metal? Is it because of their movie, making them finally receive the attention of a bigger crowd? I shouldn’t really know but at least we can hope for a renewed start to (re-)discover this metal scene because it’s a fact more and more new bands are sailing under the Canadian flag.

Just this introduction to make my point that there is much to learn about Heavy Metal from this beautiful country. I’ve never been in Canada, I will one day, but it seems to be a country which brands are especially uncountable miles of woods and immense mountain shapes. As far as I know there aren’t that much big cities and the country is split by a French and English part. Maybe in all these facts lies the reasons why their Metal scene could never lift up to a higher level. Once more I don’t know the answer…

Sudden Flames is a band I discovered thanks to this release and I’m glad I could purchase this one although I’m interested hearing their debut as well. This CD looks professional and attractive, the kind you should take in your hands at any Metal shop if it was available but to be honest there's a little chance to find it in Europe. This is another release without a label and once more we can only question how the hell this is possible... I will never learn to live with it but it makes me stronger supporting this kind of bands.

Let’s talk about the music! Sudden Flames is a typical US / Canadian band! I say both countries in the same sentence because there really is no discussion that, musical wise, both countries always offered the similar kind of Metal. Fans of Jag Panzer, Hanker and plenty of other bands that are influenced by Eighties Metal will be pleased by Sudden Flames. Here and there Sudden Flames adds a slice of an European sound into their songs, which makes them more accessible for a bigger crowd. A bit of an Epic touch in vein of Manowar and additionally high screams, sharp riffs, screaming leads are enough available; get the picture?

Sudden Flames contains five great musicians and their guitarists are worth checking them out. The strength of this 2009 release is without any doubts singer Jean-Robert Letarte. You don’t hear me say he owns the most exclusive vocal sound but he contains strong lungs and is the perfect front man for this kind of music. The way the “Death” backing vocals supports his voice in several refrains and choruses are just awesome.The arrangements are well written but not at all exclusive and original. The strong production claims the fact Sudden Flames wants to be a True Power Metal and they easily succeed in that goal. The way some samples are weaved into the songs makes them sound darker. “The legend of the headless horseman of Sleepy Hollow”, some kind of trilogy, even reminds me to the best Horror stories of King Diamond although musical wise there are no points of similarity. Anyway I’d like to hear more from this band in this specific atmosphere because it fits them very well!

Best songs to me were without any doubts the previous mentioned trilogy and furthermore “The Piper (Hymn of sorrow)” which contains great female vocals in a duet, the irresistible “Nativitas In Tenebris” and “Wonderland No More”. There’s a lot to discover on this silver disc and the more I’ve listened to it, the more I’ve really enjoyed it. Sudden Flames owns all trumps in hand to maintain success although I doubt they will ever dominate the world. Anyway they’re able to make name in the underground Metal scene and I can only advice to convince your self at http://www.myspace.com/suddenflames or http://www.suddenflames.com.

REVIEW FROM MYGLOBALMIND.COM:

The first thing that I noticed about this new album from SUDDEN FLAMES was just how decidedly old-school it was. Yes these guys play traditional metal like it was played in the eighties and nary a modern influence can be found anywhere. The song titles and lyrics are old-school, the album artwork is old-school and the music itself is like the bastard child of traditional metal, early power metal and NWOBHM.

Whilst paying tribute to a bygone era is something that has worked for a lot of bands over the last decade or so, sometimes something just doesn’t fit right and your left with a confusing concoction. Unfortunately that seems to be what has happened with DEATH MIGHT BE LATE. Sure, traditional purists will like this just as much as any other modern retro metal act, but beneath the shiny coating lies a beast that is not quite ready to come out of its shell just yet. Whilst obviously trying to stay as true to the traditional metal formula as possible, the trappings of doing so are quite evident here, for example do we really need another song about HEADLESS HORSEMEN? Well, SUDDEN FLAMES have actually written a three song suite about this very topic and unfortunately it comes across as quite stale, even though the guitar work across the three song epic is actually quite excellent.

I did find quite a bit of enjoyment in the lyrics though, especially in the track ‘TILL THE END, which speaks of mankind trying to outrace mother nature and the imminent end of our planet. THE PIPER was another enjoyable tune that reminded me of IRON MAIDEN, especially in the lyric department. One tune though that stood above the rest was clearly NO MORE WONDERLAND, which is lyrically a darker, more sinister take on the Alice In Wonderland story. This song also features the best actual musicality of the album and should really be the tune the band show prospective promoters and labels.

I’ve been a bit harsher on this release than I first planned on doing, but it’s only due to frustration, as SUDDEN FLAMES seem to have pretty much everything in place for success but it’s just not quite there yet and I really wanted it to be. Give them a couple more years of playing live and recording together and we just may well be in for a massively awesome album not too far down the track. DEATH MIGHT BE LATE is still a worthy quick listen to all traditional metal fans, but don’t expect miracles.