Label: Independent
Date: December 11th, 2023
As I once wrote, when it takes digitally released stuff, time doesn’t matter. I mean, this is not too important how long ago it was released, because that’s still, and will always be, available online. Well, in the case of “The New Land” it didn’t pass a lot of time – its premiere took place on December 11th, last year. So, this is quite fresh stuff, even if for most of us, including myself as well, it was like that even if guys released “The New Land” in December 2020, wouldn’t it? Ninety nine percent, at least so, of us didn’t hear about this Algerian ensemble a word before, what’s as clear as a day for me. The band itself was found at the beginning of the present century, 2001, in Algiers, but I have no idea how long it was existing. The only thing I know is rebirth (with the same no effects – at least when it releases) took place in 2004. Anyways, it’s the third time when guys decided to reunite the ensemble since 2015. First eight years nothing happened (in meaning of releases), by the way. So, you already know “The New Land” is their debut longer stuff. Once it was called MLP, but now it’s called EP. I have, as those who use to read my scribbles, an ambivalent feeling about this nomenclature when it takes digital stuff, but… Hell with that! The only thing we’re interested in here is music, doesn’t it?
And this is interesting also in the case of this Algerian band. Well, as for me that’s probably too modern, but since I’m only an old fart, you shouldn’t care at all about my opinion here. Anyways, “The New Land” contains five tracks of creativity more dedicated to those younger or just more open-minded, fans of metal. I don’t say this isn’t at all my cup of beer, but I still prefer another way of playing our beloved music. Guys call their creativity by death/groove metal. I somehow always didn’t like this second term. In my opinion that’s too specious, describes anything and that’s why it can create disorder in your mind. Anyways, what you can hear here is just quite modern played death/thrash metal with some influences and touches. Some of them, first clean vocal fragments, remind me somehow creators of for example “Ashes of the Wake”. There’s quite a lot of melody created by guitars and vocalization here. But at the same time guys absolutely don’t forget about what’s the most important in metal – power and aggression, even if riffs are often quite round ones. Here and there we were able to listen to some guitar tricks or even something that can be called by solos. Drums work variable, too and with no doubt Nabil knows his job. Tempo is mostly the middle one with characteristic thrash or even punk beating, but especially in “Behind My Shadow” it’s quite slow. Well, this song isn’t typical ballad, but has a lot to do with that.
Generally, “The New Land” is good stuff. It probably isn’t the best one I heard in the space of a decade or so, but at the same time good enough to go back to it from time to time. As I said before MLP or EP (I think you can call it how you want to) is available only online and it’s free! So, it’ll cost you anything to support the band by listening to it and spreading their music! I’m sure there’ll be people who’ll fall in love with “The New Land”. For me it’s “only” one more interesting thing. At the same time, I’m happy I discovered “The New Land” and I can with a clean soul recommend you this stuff. Just like I mentioned before, even if in a little veiled way, this is out digitally, on three big and leasing in the most, or at least very well-known to everyone platforms, so you risk anything to check it out. I’m sure some of you will like this EP and come back to it from time to time. Anyways, I’m sure there are readers who like such creativity very much and they’ll surely listen to it more often than me. And since you don’t have to pay even a cent for that…
