Germany's Ketzer can best be described as 'blackened thrash 'n' roll', and their latest release for Metal Blade, Starless adds bits of prog & death metal into their upbeat and aggressive mix of extreme metal. At times puzzling with the many shifts in direction, Starless is nevertheless an enjoyable slice of metal, with the more fast paced numbers like the title track, "Godface", and "White Eyes" coming across as somewhat generic though fun at the same time. It's when the band slows down their attack, add in some atmosphere, progressive layers, and drama, that things really get interesting, as on the awesome "When Milk Runs Dry", "Count to Ten", and the epic "Shaman's Dance", the latter throwing doom, prog, and death metal into the mix for an adventurous ride. The folk leanings of "Earthborn" and "Limbo" add another element to this already varied and diverse album.
Part of me really likes constant shifting of direction that Ketzer has put together here on Starless, but part of me also thinks they are more successful at the more progressive elements, and might want to steer even further in that direction on future releases. The 'black 'n' roll' thing is fun, but doesn't set them apart from the many other groups who are doing the same thing. The prog & folk stuff, now that's another story altogether.
Track Listing
1) Starless
2) When Milk Runs Dry
3) Godface
4) Count to Ten
5) The Hunger
6) White Eyes
7) Shaman's Dance
8) Silence and Sound
9) Earthborn
10) Limbo
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