DISTANT PAST
"The Final Stage" (Pure
Steel; 2021)
Reviewed by R. Scott Bolton
If you're a fan of 80s style metal, then Distant Past's "The Final Stage" will be just what you're looking for. Big songs driven by powerful drums and heavy on guitar, this album delivers a heavy metal experience that will suck you in, chew you up, and spit you out.
I think the thing I like most about "The Final Stage" is the guitar work. There are two guitarists at work here, and they combine to create a constant guitar sound that pricks up your ears and makes you pay closer attention. While one guitarist is laying down some powerful riffs, the other is kicking in some lead riffs or chimes that just enhance the overall sound. It all blends together to create a full, more complex sound.
There's an energy here as well that keeps the album moving. The band seems enthusiastic about their music and that shines through.
My favorite tracks are the Dokken-like "Queen of Sin" and "I Am Omega," a song about one of my favorite books (and subsequent films) of all time: "I Am Legend," by Richard Matheson (which went on to become the films, "Last Man on Earth," "The Omega Man" and the Will Smith starrer "I Am Legend").
For more information, check out http://www.thedistance.net.
Rating Guide:
A classic. This record will kick your ass.
Killer. Not a classic but it will rock your world.
So-so. You've heard better.
Pretty bad. Might make a nice coaster.
Self explanatory. Just the sight of the cover makes you wanna hurl.
Copyright © 2004 by R. Scott Bolton. All rights reserved.
