Wait, what happened? Last I remember this lot were on Massacre Records (how could I forget reviewing an album with such infuriating voiceovers…) and while all would seem amicable with the label’s logo on their website and all that, it appears that Chargepoint has been put out in cooperation with the Japanese label Spiritual Beast and Universal. Well, anyway, it’s a trivial matter and I don’t intend to bore you with industry babble but good for me I get to hear this album with none of the interruptions present on the last one. Yay!
For those of you au fait with Decadence, Chargepoint pretty much follows on where 3rd Stage… left off and if you enjoyed that album then you’ll like this one too. This launches in with an instant assault of aggressive guitars and a vehement drum salvo that will assure any thrasher they’re in for a treat. There is a Teutonic feel to the hard and fast riffage and even in the vocals, which at one point has my other half asking ‘what Destruction album is this?’ This especially comes across on opener ‘Discharge’ and later on with ‘Challenge’ which has a bit of a classic feel in places. Of course, Kitty’s vocals play a large part on this album, and if anything they sound more ferocious than before. There’s a harsh raspy edge to her delivery that does have me drawing up that Schmier comparison in places, as crude as that may be. She could certainly give any bloke a good run for their money; hell hath no fury like a woman scorned after all, and it sure is true.
This all sounds totally modern and up to date; there’s a touch of the old school in the thrashy parts, but also there is a strong melodic death metal vibe that really reminds of the bands Swedish heritage. ‘Be Home When I’m Gone’ is particularly Gothenburg-esque with its scything guitars and melodious overtones, while all the elements come together to form a formidable wall of sound. ‘Point Of No Return’ displays some real technical prowess and is far less straightforward mixing pummelling thrash passages with more complex lead guitar parts. They strike just the right balance between aggression and melody here and can easily please both the thrash crowd and those into melodeath. The album ends on a more mellow note, ‘The Demons Run’ has some nimble fingered guitar work with plenty of feeling behind them. This is the obligatory thrash-trumental and is actually very well executed reminding of Metallica classic ‘To Live Is To Die.’
At just under 40 minutes in length, this is an album that does not overstay its welcome and is the perfect length for a record of its kind. This is nothing astoundingly unique, but it’s a perfectly decent album by a band who I’m certain are going places.
http://www.decadence.se/
