CoC : Acid Death - Random's Manifest : Review

Acid Death - _Random's Manifest_
(Black Lotus, 2000)
by: Brian Meloon (8 out of 10)

Greece's Acid Death return with the follow-up to 1997's impressive _Pieces of Mankind_. This album shows them moving toward a heavier and more technical style. While I'd generally applaud such a move, I'm not sure that that's the best move for them. What made _Pieces..._ special in my opinion was the mixing of styles, from power metal to death metal, with interesting and innovative breaks in between. This album has a more consistently heavy sound. While the band still showcases the same diversity of styles and breaks, their effectiveness is somewhat muted due to the more consistent tone of the album. The playing is very good, as the band capably switches styles between heavy thrash, power metal, fusion, and other styles without a hitch. In addition, the music features a number of fairly technical sections, all of which are performed with admirable aplomb. My only real complaint in this regard are the clean vocals: they're not bad, but they certainly could be better. The production is very good, though it sounds somewhat sterile. A warmer production might've been beneficial. While I've been somewhat disappointed by this album, I must say that it (like _Pieces..._) has grown on me with repeated listens. Overall, it's a good album, and should appeal to fans of well-played and diverse metal.

(article published 10/1/2001)

ALBUMS
7/6/1998	P Azevedo	6	Acid Death - Pieces of Mankind