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Distant Past: Rise Of The Fallen

Heavy/Power Metal

3.5/5.0

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Pure Steel Records
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 24.03.2016

Swimming around the European heavy metal universe for better than 14 years is Switzerland's Distant Past. Two demos and two albums in their collective pockets, the band returns, after three years, with Rise Of The Fallen. So, it's a concept album, as described by press material, about "the eternal struggle of the Temptation of Lucifer vs. the Teachings of God’s Son." I'm guessing the latter refers to Jesus Christ, but I could be wrong. Being a Christian myself, I find it hard to believe that heavy metal lyricist and bass player knows anything about true Christian faith or theology. But I could be wrong.

Distant Past

Regarding Rise Of The Fallen, I'll say this at the start: I didn't like the vocals. Yeah, I get it. They've got Gloryhammer's Thomas L. Winkler to be the son of god (note the lower case) and Distant Past vocalist Jvo Julmy to be Lucifer. The former is more melodic, the latter more harsh. Like I said, I get the juxtaposition for the concept.

But the heavy power metal is pretty cool. A driving rhythm section, twin guitar harmonies, epic guitar solos. Melody comes through in the arrangements. The mix is kind of muddled. You hear the vocals, but the riffs and rhythm section are somewhat of a blur. Basically, everything runs together, sounds the same, and becomes redundant. The leads are nice, but basically what you would expect.

At this point, I'm wondering what would have persuaded me beyond ambivalence. Nothing comes to mind. As I said, the heavy power metal is pretty fine, repetitious, yet well-played. I don't know. Nothing here, no song, really gripped me, caught my attention. Listen yourself, you may have a different opinion.

Distant Past - End Of The World

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Distant Past's heavy power metal is pretty fine, repetitious, yet well-played. Yet, nothing here, no song, really gripped me, caught my attention. Listen yourself, you may have a different opinion.

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