• New Music Reviews
• |
• Archives
• |
• News
• |
• Submissions
• |
• About
• |
• 
• |
• 

May 2025

• Laurenne/Louhimo: Falling Through Stars
• Rock Out: Let's Call It Rock N Roll
• The Flower Kings: Love
• Maestrick : Espresso Della Vita: Lunare

March 2025

• W.E.T.: Apex
• Alliance: Before Our Eyes
• Ginevra: Beyond Tomorrow
• Phil X & The Drills:
  Pow! Right In The Kisser
• IQ: Dominion
• Heart Line: Falling Heaven
• Gotthard: Stereo Crush
• Defender: Dying To Live
• Streetlight: Night Vision

February 2025

• Robin McAuley: Soulbound
• Perfect Plan: Heart Of A Lion
• Craig Brooks: Desolation Freeway
• Mantric Momentum: Alienized
• Pattern-Seeking Animals: Friend Of All Creatures
• Crazy Lixx: Thrill Of The Bite
• Ginger Evil: The Way It Burns
• Dream Theater: Parasomnia
• Tyran: Tyran's Oath
• Saber: Lost In Flames

January 2025

• Wildness: Avenger
• The Ferrymen: Iron Will
• Labyrinth: In The Vanishing Echoes Of Goodbye
• Bonfire: Higher Ground
• The Big Deal: Electrified
• Landfall: Wide Open Sky

December 2024

• After Lapse: Pathways
• Illusion Force: Halfana
• Powell-Payne: Voilá

November 2024

• Sunstorm: Restless Fight
• Storace: Crossfire
• Voodoo Circle: Hail To The King
• Lionville: Supernatural
• Starchaser: Into The Great Unkown
• Empires Of Eden: Guardians Of Time
• Lonerider: Down In The Dust
• Seventh Crystal: Entity
• Neal Morse & The Resonance: No Hill For A Climber
• Beardfish: Songs For Beating Hearts
• Impellitteri: War Machine
• Brothers Of Metal: Fimbulvinter

[ More Music Reviews ]

Sarasin: Sarasin

Melodic Heavy Metal

4.0/5.0

Website Facebook
Pure Steel Records
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 11.02.2016

The back story to Canadian band Sarasin's appearance is rather brief. The band dates to the mid-Eighties with one EP to their name, 1987'sLay Down Your Guns. Fast forward 30 years with sole original member and guitarist Greg Boileau leading the band. They offer their very first long-player, simply self-titled, on Germany's Pure Steel Records label.

Sarasin

Now, noting that their origins are in the Eighties, and on Pure Steel, one can probably guess what kind of metal Sarasin plays. Yeah. You're right. Classic melodic heavy metal right out of NWoBHM roots. With this, as you would expect, they have twin guitar harmony and strong lead solos. This element is a staple of "true metal," so if you like your riff sharp and heavy, and your guitar solos soaring, you'll like Sarasin. Also clean vocals. Michael Wilson has solid presence, strong without needing to go screamo. The rhythm section provides some fine groove to the tunes, easily working either moderate or swift tempos. And most songs vary the tempo, making the Sarasin sound a cross between traditional heavy and speed metal. Notable examples come with Enemy Within and In Our Image. Returning to that groove element, also characteristic of classic metal is the notable presence of a rock groove in songs. Sarasin gets that and you can hear it within The Hammer, Now, and Forevermore. Although in that last song the lead guitar lines have a significant presence throughout. Another song deserves some mention, Live To See The Glory. First for the impressive drum intro at the start and then the lighter guitar and vocal breakdown at the midpoint, which carries to the end. Fundamentally, Sarasin's debut is a fine one, strong traditional melodic heavy metal with a significant guitar presence. Recommended.

Sarasin - The Hammer

Share This Review with Your Friends

Note: All Amazon advertising in this review first benefits the artist, then Craig Hartranft also receives a residual. Click, and thanks for your support.

Fundamentally, Sarasin's debut is a fine one, strong traditional melodic heavy metal with a significant guitar presence. Recommended.

Alphabetical Index

Here's a fun fact about Swiss legends, Gotthard: their last 16 releases, excepting their debut album, went to number one in their home country, making them one of Switzerland's most successful acts and ... [ Read More ]