Dangerdog Music Reviews :: © 1999 - 2023 Craig S Hartranft :: All Rights Reserved
No part of this this website, including design and music reviews,
may be reproduced in any form or by any means without
the prior written permission of the publisher.
- New Music Reviews
- |
- Archives
- |
- News
- |
- Submissions
- |
- About
- |
- |
New Music Reviews, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Progressive Rock, Progressive Metal, AOR, Alternative Rock, Alternative Metal
Recent Reviews
June 2023
- The Defiants: Drive
- Ray Alder: II
- Art Nation: Inception
- False Memories: Hybrid Ego System
May 2023
- Renaisance Rock Orchestra: Ice Age Cometh
- Imperium: Never Surrender
- House Of Shakira: Xit
- Cry Of Dawn (Goran Edman): Anthropocene
- Sweet & Lynch: Heart & Sacrifice
- Screamachine: Church Of The Scream
- The Michael Thompson Band: The Love Goes On
- Heaven's Edge: Get It Right
- Circus Of Rock: Lost Behind The Mask
- Enforcer: Nostalgia
April 2023
- Smackbound: Hostage
- Revolution Saints: Eagle Flight
- One Desire: Live with The Shadow Orchestra
- Mecca: Everlasting
- Bite The Bullet: Rocky Road
- Kardinal Sin: S.A.L.I.G.I.A
- Jason Bieler: Postcards From The Asylum
- Angel: Once Upon A Time
- Mike Tramp: Songs Of White Lion
- L.A. Guns (Guns & Lewis): Black Diamonds
- Magnus Karlsson's Free Fall: Hunt The Flame
- Archon Angel: II
- Blazon Rite: Wild Rites And Ancient Songs
March 2023
- Excalion: Once Upon A Time
- RPWL: Crime Scene
- Transworld Identity: Seven Worlds
- Stormwarning: Stormwarning
- Phantom Elite: Blue Blood
- Narnia: Ghost Town
- Redemption: I Am The Storm
- Cross Country Driver: The New Truth
- The Banishment: Machine And Bone
- Seventh Crystal: Wonderland
- Demons Down: I Stand
Psychoprism: R.I.S.E.
Psychoprism: R.I.S.E.
Power Metal
3.5/5.0
Facebook
Pure Steel Records
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 15.12.2021 | Released: 03.12.2021
America isn't exactly the home or haven for traditional power metal these days; it's largely found in the European theater. But Psychoprism hails from the New York/New Jersey area, home to other such powerful metal bands like Symphony X. We last heard from the quintet with 2016's Creation. Now, after a five year hiatus the band, with the same personnel I might add, returns with their second effort, R.I.S.E..
Psychoprism
So let's get to what I know. This is power metal, plain and simple. The songs are largely fast and heavy wherein they leap from the gate and gallop to the guitar solos. Which are basically pretty fandamntastic across this album. There's a layer of synths across the songs as well which, for the most part, seem to add more density and texture than anything else. Sometimes the rise in forefront as with Beyond The Perceived and Turbulence. But than the riffs and rhythm section take over and away we go. Vocalist Jess Rittgers has a traditional metal style with articulation wrapped up in volume and scream. I find him kind of gnarly, but that's just me. More melodic vocals have always been my thing. Finally, I suspect that the album may have an overarching concept or theme, but without the lyrics or additional information, I'm just spit-balling here. All said, for American power metal with gallop, groove, and fantastic guitar work Psychoprism and R.I.S.E. is the real deal, if not, perhaps, a little predictable. If you dig the genre or the band, you will not be disappointed. Recommended.
The Take Away
For American power metal with gallop, groove, and fantastic guitar work Psychoprism and R.I.S.E. is the real deal, if not, perhaps, a little predictable. If you dig the genre or the band, you will not be disappointed. Recommended.
Find A Review
Alphabetical Index
Album of the Week
This experience deserves mention for one very good reason: Finland's One Desire is one of the best classic AOR melodic hard rock bands in the genre and, perhaps, the world, right now So, I also apologize, in ... [ Read More ]
May 2023 Stats
- Users: 6,247
- New Users: 5,420
- Sessions: 11,733
- Pageviews: 39,803
- Pages/Session: 3.39
- Bounce Rate: 9.49%
Source: Google Analytics