In just a few short years of existence, Allentown, PA’s
Sinister Realm is already on their third record, “World of Evil”. This was my
first hearing of them, and after seeing the album cover, it was clear that some
serious heavy metal was about to be unleashed upon my ears. Perhaps rather than
heavy, the key word here should be power. That isn’t because this is power
metal (it’s not), but rather, it’s because of the sheer strength of the vocals
of Alex Kristof. His ability is far greater than he ever lets on throughout the
course of this record, and that is a great thing for the band. Rather than
trying to deliver a consistently over-the-top performance (ala Ripper Owens),
Kristof uses his normal singing voice and lets the catchy melodies take center.
This is no more obvious than on the opening track, “Dark Angel of Fate”, where
his voice soars over the uplifting guitar leads underneath. If it isn’t clear
yet, Kristof’s performance is the highlight of “World of Evil”.
Luckily, however, the rest of the band delivers as well. Though
this album is never particularly fast, there is no shortage of interesting,
heavy riffs. Sometimes when bands play more mid-paced stuff (“Bell Strikes Fear”
is one such rocking song), there is a tendency to become plodding and boring,
but that isn’t the case with Sinister Realm. For one thing, the bass cuts
through the mix consistently, making Steve Harris proud, and offering relief in
case you ever want to look beyond the riffing. Speaking of Steve Harris, the
bass tone is remarkably similar to any of the four Iron Maiden reunion records.
Very few albums manage to command this much attention on the bass, and it is
satisfying to say the least. Beyond the rhythm work and the riffs, the guitars
also offer wicked harmonized leads. The best example is the bone-chilling opening
to “World of Evil”, which sets the mood for a true heavy metal classic, where once again, Kristof's vocals shine in the chorus.
At this point you may have noticed that I’ve only made
reference to the first three tracks. As with many records that was deliberate.
These three songs (alongside “The Ghosts of Nevermore”) are by far the
strongest on the album. This is definitely a front-loaded record, but unlike
other similarly designed records, the remaining songs on “World of Evil” are
still very good, just not up to par with the first four. Nevertheless, the
record as a whole is a bit of a grower because of its slower pace, and so these
other songs may become more interesting over time. “World of Evil” is highly
recommended to anyone who can appreciate brilliant singing, and a fantastic
attention to songwriting.
Highlights
"Dark Angel of Fate"
"Bell Strikes Fear"
"World of Evil"
Final Rating
4.25/5 or 85%.