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A Sound of Thunder: Out of the Darkness
 Very strong production values, solid musicianship, powerful vocals, and catchy heavy metal songs are what instantly stands out on the new Nightmare Records release from Washington, DC band A Sound of Thunder. Out of the Darkness may not be your typical progressive/power metal type platter that we normal expect from the folks at Nightmare Records, but what A Sound of Thunder have delivered here is pretty damn enjoyable. The band is comprised of Nina Osegueda- Vocals, Josh Schwartz- Guitar, Chris Haren- Drums and, and Jesse Keen- Bass/keyboards, and together the band have put together a powerful collection of songs that bring to mind classic acts such as Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Deep Purple, Blue Oyster Cult, Dio, Rainbow, Primal Fear, Doro, and early The Gathering.
Osegueda has a tremendous voice, soaring to the heavens on crushing tracks like "The Nightwitch", "The Day I Die", "Murderous Horde", and the breakneck title track. Without a doubt, she's a talent to be watched. Schwartz too impresses, laying down thick, crunchy riffs throughout, as well as nimble solos, while the rhythms from Keen & Haren are rock solid. A nice touch are the occasional organ & synth bursts from Keen, which adds that vintage Deep Purple & Rainbow flavor to some of these tracks for a nice touch. Though a few songs border somewhat on generic metal ("Kill That Bitch", "A Sound of Thunder") and the lovely "This Too Shall Pass" might be a bit too mellow for some, overall there's a lot to like here.
While A Sound of Thunder probably aren't going to set the world on fire here with Out of the Darkness, this is still a very enjoyable slice of heavy metal that shows a band that have all the tools to make a name for themselves in the very near future.
Track Listing:
1.) The Day I Die
2.) The Nightwitch
3.) Kill That Bitch
4.) Murderous Horde
5.) A Sound of Thunder
6.) Out of the Darkness
7.) Calat Alhambra
8.) Flight Until the End
9.) This Too Shall Pass
10.) Discovery
Added: August 16th 2012
Reviewer: Pete Pardo
Score:  
Related Link: Band @ Nightmare Records
Hits: 3608
Language: english
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A Sound of Thunder: Out of the Darkness
Posted by Steven Reid, SoT Staff Writer on 2012-08-16 15:53:38
My Score:
As the Metal genres seem to become ever more congested with bands willing to rehash old ideas and riffs, it is heartening to hear a band attempt something at least a little different. Washington DC's A Sound Of Thunder may not be exactly a complete breath of fresh air. However the atmospheric manner in which they approach their Power Metal is a little refreshing. Yes, huge riffs abound, bass drums pedals are trodden on at relentless speed and the vocals roar Mettalically, while they also soar and swoop in a symphonic style. However on the whole Out Of The Darkness is a stately and considered brand of Power Metal which shimmers with drama, as well as pummelling with brutality.
Vocalist Nina Osegueda has a scintillating voice, which verges on classical, without ever straying into Tarja territory. However rather pleasingly she can also spit out the lyrics when the situation calls for it, something many of her contemporaries struggle with. Add to that the strident rifferama from Josh Schwartz and the thumping bass work courtesy of Jesse Keen and ASOT have the basis to make you headbang with the best of them. However it is the theatrical side to things that sets Out Of The Darkness apart from the norm, with Keen's additional keyboard work adding gravitas to the already wide ranging scope on show. Classic Rock acts are nodded to in passing, with a touch of Doro/Warlock, a soupcon of Rainbow and pinch of Priest, being joined by the more in your face contemporary stylings ala Primal Fear, or Firewind to convincing effect. Although things do get bogged down on occasion, with the wide vision of the album being slightly beyond the song's range - bringing the kind of schlock horror schmaltz that King Diamond so specialises in to mind. Although there are worse crimes to be accused of...
I haven't heard either the previous album or EP from A Sound Of Thunder. However on the strength of Out Of The Darkness, that is something I aim to rectify. More solid than spectacular at this stage, A Sound Of Thunder are still a band well worth keeping an eye on...
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