(Heavy Metal/Hard Rock) [CD] Fatal Smile - Neo Natural Freaks - 2006, FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Rather addictive thick riff-fest - 90%
Azmodes, March 21st, 2008

This is a party album. This is a feelgood album. This is melodic ear candy. This is a creative geyser splashing hot energy-laden hard rock and heavy metal ingredients in your face. The thing is, I don't really have much to comment about it, except a statement that should get old, but apparently doesn't: It rocks.

Did you listen to me before? I said "creative", not "innovative". I said "candy", not "strawberry cake with mint frosting". I said "geyser", not "alpine well gently stroking your sweat away after an exhausting hiking trip".
"Neo Natural Freaks" is "creative", meaning well-built songs which establishe themselves as unique art and therefore -in my opinion- only to be found in this band. It's clearly their own style, certainly not that idiosyncratic, but defining and letting them stand out a bit.
It's "candy", meaning you will have a lot of fun with it, not until the second or third spin, but immediately after the first song kicks in. It's diverting, but also worth a listen from time to time and certainly a wise choice for your next party.
It's a "geyser", meaning it conveys exactly this amalganation of hard rock and heavy metal I've grown a certain liking to. It ... spits water... and rock, ... spreads metal, ... it's got energy ... power, ... flying chesthair ...and sort of boobs and booze, no apparent deeper message....it's hot and steamy, that's for sure. Okay, to hell with this allegory.
My sophisticated analogy is stretching to a certain limit here, I confess. Regardless, without a doubt, Fatal Smile is full of sweat, energy and the motivation to make entertaining music. Like a geyser. Kinda.

The band makes riff-driven music with a plethora of addictive hooks and accordingly memorable sing-along refrains (no matter of you like them or not) The guitarist produces interesting and heavenly heavy riffs chugging through the songs, accommodating them at every instant. You've got truly monstrous riffage in songs such as "Bleeding Kiss", "Crash And Burn" und "Practise What You Preach". In combination with this bulldozers, the excellent tone of the guitar helps improving matters even further. It was not very often that I've heard any such thick killer sound before or after listening to this album.
You've got some solo work too, nothing fancy, just occasionally fast and erratic or melodic and flowing alongside the thick wall of the distorted rhythm guitar. Good and solid effort.

But, not to say this album lives off riffs alone. Blade's singing is the logical extension of the band's overall sound. High-energy hard rock vocals, strong and versatile enough to fit the musical range. Don't misunderstand me. He doesn't experiment or vary much regarding pitch or tone. He does what is to be done, not in a mediocre "well this songs need vocals, so I'll provide them", but in a solid "he's knowing when to do what and having fun" way. His voice is recognicable and all in all rooted in the typical middle range hard rock singing occasionally venturing out onto some higher or deeper ground.

Now, as with every single one of my reviews, I don't have much to say about drum or bass work. The two main instruments in rock and metal which define these terms for me are guitar and vocals. I almost never pay much attention to them except the other two are somehow moved aside to make room for an interesting effort by one of them.
All I can say is, that -as tools of heavy music- drum and bass are put into adequately good use here. I can't find anything wrong here, but as I said I was not really looking that hard.

I don't know exactly how the average metalhead or hardrocker reacts to this kind of music, but everybody who likes a very good production coopled with a lively rock vibe and the wild attitude and headbang/hook potential of metal should take their chances. I can confidently say, that this is at the very least good, thought-through music deserving your attention.

Recommended tracks: "Neo Natural Freaks", "Bleeding Kiss", "Crash And Burn", "Practise What You Preach", "Dead Man Walking", and the rest while you're at it

Y (guitars)
H.B. Anderson (vocals)
Markus Johansson (bass)
Tomas Lindgren (drums