Canada is nearing Sweden's amount of quality bands in today's age and I love it. The country has a great old-school scene where several respected, and even legendary bands hail from, but they also have a terrific scene today. Weapon, Striker, Revenge and Black Absinthe are a few names who have already released some top-notch material this year, and Cauldron's "Tomorrow's Lost" is another record that can be added to that impressive list. This isn't only my favorite Cauldron album yet, but it just might be the best record to come out of the great north this year. This is the band's third album, and it clearly shows that the trio has progressed very well. The overall sound of the band hasn't changed dramatically, but everything about the music on this record is tighter, catchier and overall better than its predecessors (both of which were very solid records).
There isn't just a single band that I could point to when describing Cauldron's sound. They've done a great job of creating their own sound and they're definitely recognizable in a sea of other bands (plenty of them being terrible to mediocre) who have taken up the traditional style. There are times when the group channels their inner Angel Witch and Iron Maiden to deliver songs that charge ahead, like "Burning Fortune," which features upbeat riffage akin to Iron Maiden's Di'anno era, while "End of Time" and "Nitebreaker" feature some solid riffs that were created to get the listener's headbanging. "Relentless Temptress" has a rock n' roll vibe that blends exceptionally well with the slower parts and awesome melodies, which continues to show the band bringing some variety to their music. "Fight For Day" has a total power metal sound that screams of bands like Omen and Helloween who regularly called for arms in their lyrics. There's even a couple of sweet covers of Cathedral and Carcass songs that should please fans of either of the bands (Cathedral's "Autumn Twilight" seemed to be a natural fit for Cauldron's sound).
Cauldron sounds at their best when they're churning out midpaced, gloomy songs that show off Jason Decay's excellent vocals (which remind one of Brain Thomas of Halloween quite a bit). His vocals mesh with the slower material perfectly and help create some infectious verses and choruses that are sure to stick in the listener's head. "Summoned to Succumb" and "Endless Ways" both feature decent riffage that is made better by the stellar singing and equally amazing melodies and solos that Ian Chains can seemingly conjure up at will, taking the band's fans back to some of the group's best songs like "Chained Up In Chains" and "Queen of Fire." "Tomorrow's Lost (Sun Will Fall)" also proves to be the band's best song to date, with it's near-epic sound that features acoustics, memorable riffs and an insanely catchy chorus. Cauldron has definitely found their niche and "Tomorrow's Lost" is the proof that these guys are a bonafide band worth many metalheads' attention, as this record has perfected the sound that was established on "Chained to the Nite" and "Burning Fortune." It was already going to be a difficult task to try and determine which albums deserved to be called the best of 2012, and with the addition of Cauldron's latest effort it's going to be that much harder because "Tomorrow's Lost" is brilliant.
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Highlights
"Summoned to Succumb"
"Endless Ways"
"Tomorrow's Lost (Sun Will Fall)"
Final Rating
4.5/5 or 90%.