There’s probably a reason saxophones and trumpets aren’t normally associated with Death Metal, it’s weird. Having said that, Bloodrainbow hail from a country that find it OK to wrap cottage cheese in chocolate.
Bloodrainbow – “Upheaval”
The album itself starts off sounding like the tribal influences of Sepultura on “The Born of Gods” intro, before carrying on with “Debauchery, Fall, Expulsion” which doesn’t quite see the Hungarians reach their full metal potential either.
When it comes to “Outcast from Eden” the horn section kicks in, alongside technically efficient guitars and vocals that, at times, sound as though their sung while gargling water. If it wasn’t for the screaming, tracks such as “Harpoon and Sonar” could go in the NWOBHM stylings of Iron Maiden, while the effects on the vocals don’t quite match the music.
It’s mid album with “Stalingrad” that Bloodrainbow throw everything at the seven and half minute track. The intro revisits late-80’s Maiden, it then goes into full on death metal territory and speed metal guitar solos, before the saxophones and trumpets confuse it all partway through. It’s either a complete masterpiece, bizarre but genius, or just not quite right.
By all accounts Bloodrainbow formed in 2002 and set out to combine “the brutality of Florida’s death metal and the melodic leads of the Scandinavian bands”, which to be fair to a certain extent they’ve achieved. Then there’s the horn section, I’m all for bands experimenting and will happily give “Upheaval” another run through, but like chocolate and cottage cheese, I guess you just have to try it for yourself.
“Upheaval” – the 3rd album from Hungary’s BLOODRAINBOW is out now.
