• New Music Reviews
• |
• Archives
• |
• News
• |
• Submissions
• |
• About
• |
• 
• |
• 

April 2024

• Vanden Plas: The Empyrean Equation Of The Long Lost Things
• Praying Mantis: Defiance
• King Zebra: Between The Shadows
• About Us: Take A Piece
• Blue Oyster Cult: Ghost Stories

March 2024

• Cruzh: The Jungle Revolution
• Whom Gods Destroy: Insanium
• The Prog Collective: Dark Encounters
• Lords Of Black: Mechanics Of Predacity
• Lipz: Changing The Melody
• The End Machine: The Quantum Phase
• Stargate: Escaping The Illusion
• Turbulence: Binary Dream
• Sonata Arctica: Clear Cold Beyond
• D'Luna: Monster
• Big Big Train: The Likes Of Us
• Benjamin Croft: We Are Here To Help

February 2024

• Traveler: Prequel To Madness
• Lionheart: The Grace Of A Dragonfly
• Honeymoon Suite: Alive
• Durbin: Screaming Steel
• Smoking Snakes: Danger Zone
• Revolution Saints: Against The Winds
• Striker: Ultrapower
• Show N Tell: The Ritual Has Begun
• Robert Hart: Circus Life

January 2024

• Corvus: Immortals
• Caligula's Horse: Charcoal Grace
• Grand: Second To None
• Neal Morse: The Restoration - Joseph - Part Two
• The Rods: Rattle The Cage
• Gotus: Gotus
• Metalite: Expedition One
• Cobrakill: Serpent's Kiss
• Jack Russell & Tracii Guns: Medusa
• Jim Peterik & World Stage: Roots & Shoots Vol. 1
• The Grandmaster: Black Sun

[ More Music Reviews ]

Intense: Songs Of A Broken Future

Heavy Power Metal

4.5/5.0

Internet Facebook
Pure Steel Records
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 01.04.2020 | Released: 27.03.2020

Returning from the "where have they been" cave is UK metallers, Intense. Founded by vocalist Sean Hetherington and guitarist Nick Palmer in 1991, the last we heard from the band was 2011's The Shape Of Rage. Despite a nine year absence, Intense has maintained the same lineup from 2004. That, in itself, is more than a little remarkable. Now, the quintet drops their long-awaited fourth album, Songs Of A Broken Future for Pure Steel Records.

Intense

There's really no mistaking the Intense metal sound. The band plays twin-guitar driven, New Wave of British Heavy Metal inspired, power metal. Excepting the intro, from the gate, every song is essentially fast and heavy. In a word, intense. But that's not to say, Intense is modern metal harsh. Never. First, you'll find, not acidic and harsh, but spry and harmonious twin guitar lines. Naturally, these turn into generous guitar solos. For his part, Hetherington adds his clean singing to the song melody and harmony. Underneath the rhythm section pairs the twin commodities of rock groove and power metal gallop, definitely more heavy on the latter.

You'll hear all these things in the fine arrangements of End Of Days, The Social Elite, or The Tragedy Of Life, which pretty much gallops from the start. Other times, the guitar lines offer a strong start, as with Head Above Water, The Jesters Smile, and Stand of Fall, to get the pedal to the heavy power metal. Don't be tripped up by a song that offer a softer start. The title cut offers piano and voice to begin, but eventually delivers ambitious power metal. Alternatively, the odd man out, Until The Memories Fade delivers a power metal anthem. Beginning with voice coupled with acoustic and electric guitar, it eventually rises to soar and finish with an epic guitar solo.

Wrapping up, Intense's Songs Of A Broken Future is a welcome and fine return for the English metal band. Prepare for some epic, fast and heavy, twin guitar driven power metal. Easily recommended.

Note: All Amazon advertising in this review first benefits the artist, then Craig Hartranft also receives a residual. Click, and thanks for your support.

Intense's Songs Of A Broken Future is a welcome and fine return for the band. Prepare for some epic, fast and heavy, twin guitar driven power metal. Recommended.

Alphabetical Index

Three years have passed since Sweden's Cruzh dropped their second long-player, Tropical Thunder, also introducing their new singer, Alex Waghorn. Now the band returns with The Jungle Revolution ... [ Read More ]