Temtris – Rapture (Album Review)

Posted on October 7, 2018 by walladmin

Temtris – Rapture
Released: October 1 (AUS), October 30 (Worldwide) 2018

Lineup

Genevieve Rodda // Vocals
Anthony Fox // Guitar
Nik Wilks // Bass
Youhan AD. // Drums
Anthony Hoffman // Guitar

Online

The incredible powerhouse that is Temtris are back with their fifth full-length album Rapture. Hailing from Nowra, New South Wales this female fronted quintet return with their most concise and consistent release to date. For those who are not familiar with Temtris, the band started under the name Labyrinth in 1998, by 2003 they had changed their name and since then have been producing albums and EPs ever since. They are veterans of the Australian Metal Scene and have really delivered on Rapture, which solidifies their place as one of Australia’s finest and most enduring Heavy Metal bands.

Rapture is relentless in its power and this is all too obvious from the moment the double kicking starts and the guitars sear on ‘Flames of Defiance’. From the first note, you know frontwoman Genevieve Rodda‘s vocals are on point and her power matches the rest of the band. The two Anthony’s solo perfectly and finish strong with some amazing harmonization. This leads into ‘Wings of Death’ which is perhaps the albums most daring track where every boundary is pushed. From the super compressed, down tuned opening guitar riff, to the machine gun double kick drumming and the delicate instrumental midsection. ‘Wings of Death’ showcases the musical technicality and proficiency Temtris seem to be able to deliver effortlessly. The rollercoaster of light and shade, subtlety and power are on display in volumes. Genevieve’s vocal chops on this track are second to none.

The first single ‘Run’ starts with a fast, technical intro which lays the path perfectly for the blisteringly fast double kick that is in this instance a little to overpowering and distracting. The overbearing drumming makes the vocals a little too hard to focus on. It isn’t until the solo where there seems to be some reprieve and gives us something to focus on other than the drumming. ‘Serpent’ follows with a Metallica-esque intro, but from there takes a technical path lead by some strange time signature drumming which completely loses the momentum of the opening riff. The vocal and guitar performances are stellar and the pre-solo section again returns to a Metallica influenced …And Justice for All era solo. As a song, it certainly does have some shining moments but so far it has the least instant appeal for me of any song on the album. ‘Parasite’ has a huge circa 1983 Megadeth/Metallica sounding riff and feel to it, which is fresh yet familiar. The guitar solo is probably my favorite on the album so far and again it is a very solid, powerful vocal performance. Up next are the two stand out tracks for me ‘Breathe’ and ‘Carry You’.

‘Breathe’ is my favorite track on the album. It has a subtle Iron Maiden flavour to it and immediately hit me as this is where Temtris hit their stride. The riff is huge, the energy is infectious and the performances are super solid all round. ‘Breathe’, if released as a single, has such huge potential to do BIG things for the band. While the song has a straightforward approach, in my eyes it is where the band shines. ‘Carry You’ is the closest thing you will get to a Temtris ballad. It is a melodic, groove-driven song that truly allows Genevieve’s vocal chops to shine as they are allowed space from the technical abilities of the band. This song would work well on so many levels, I can visualize it as a beautiful orchestral backed piece, as an acoustic song and the lyrics and feel would also allow it to be done with an RnB feel. This is a true gem of a song.

‘Rise of Dawn’ closes the album; while it is technically proficient the sounds of the cymbals create almost a white noise frequency and made the song really hard for me to enjoy. However, the solo intro has a stomping Pantera-ish feel to it and the mix allows it to shine. The power in Genevieve’s voice is incredible and closes the album the way it began, with finesse, brilliance and powerful delivery.

Overall I do like Rapture and know that fans of heavy, thrash, power and melodic metal will love this. However, my criticism comes from the production and how overbearing the drums are. As technically proficient as drummer Youhan AD. is, his playing dominates the mix and in some instances overpowers the amazing voice of Genevieve Rodda. The two Anthony’s (Fox and Hoffman) on guitar do a stellar job and compliment each other’s playing perfectly, but the choice of guitar sounds are far too similar on many songs which lose some of the dynamics that should be present. Even though they are proficient, technically great players who are just full of killer riffs, there isn’t a huge vast amount of tonal contrast and separation. Bass player Nik Wilks is no slouch; he shows great diversity in his playing whether he is following the drumming assault or complimenting the onslaught of riffs. But it is Genevieve Rodda’s vocal performance that is just stunning; her powerful, clean delivery of well-written lyrics is the stuff that makes you.

I have heard nothing but incredible stories of the Temtris live show, which I am yet to experience, but hope to change that soon. The band are on the road throughout October in support of Rapture, so be sure to check them out when you can.