The new full throttle (pun intended) Almanac sound is apparent right from the off, with the furious Predator kicking the album off in a high-octane fashion - with some suitably-cheesy narration to go with it. Smolski's opening riff is a technical one, but he soon settles into a more straight-forward groove as the verse takes over and Kott's weighty drumming locks in. Unlike many of the songs here, Sühl and Marchewka trade vocal lines throughout. Sühl is a fairly typcial power metal singer, with a gritty overtones and a strong sense of melody, while Marchewka has a somewhat lower voice than is usual for a woman - but her powerful vocals really fit in perfectly with Smolski's style. As the album is probably the heaviest effort from the band yet, it is fitting that the opening song is a steamroller right from the off. The energy never really lets up at all throughout, but there is still plenty of melodies courtesy of a grand chorus and a strange, almost-industrial guitar solo. It is a memorable opening moment that sets the tone for the rest of the album, and introduces the band's new members nicely. The album's title track opens with a fluid, progressive bassline from Rashid that Smolski soon mirrors - before a somewhat more atmospheric build up shows Smolski's love of a big arrangement. While this album is heavier than its predecessors, there are still grand arrangements to be found. This is not purely a flat out thrash album, and there is still plenty of light and shade to be found. This song showcases more of this style than the opening number as it alternates between sledgehammer mid-paced riffing and more sweeping sections featuring subtle string backings and floatier guitar lines. Sühl dominates this track vocally, while Marchewka takes more of a backseat as she concentrates on harmonies (which is her more usual role in the band). Frank Beck (Gamma Ray) and Marcel Junker (Mortal Remains) are also credited with vocals on the album, but I am not sure if their contributions are simply additional backing vocals or whether they also add some lead vocal lines throughout. I am not really familiar with any of the three male vocalists featured here, so it is hard for me to say either way - so I apologise if the wrong vocalist is name-checked for a certain performance. I assume that Sühl is the star here however, and he really showcases his talents throughout the song - with a controlled grit and just enough melody to really bring the soaring chorus to life. Songs three to seven on the album make up the Suite L.M. Part 2, so the orchestral arrangements are much larger here. Let the Show Begin acts as a slow-burning intro with more cheesy narration, before the heavier Soiled Existence kicks off with a crushing mid-paced guitar pattern and distant harsh vocals. Parts of the song almost stray into symphonic black metal territory, but when the main verses kick in the band's usual power metal trappings return with expressive male vocals and a knotty Smolski riff. I think Junker may be responsible for the occasional harsh vocals here, given his apparent thrash-based CV, and he mixes his growls in well with Sühl's soaring lead vocals. The harsh vocals are used sparingly to add weight, and their inclusion really works. It adds another side to the band's sound, without ever pushing Almanac truly into extreme metal territory.
Bought and Sold has a more old-school Almanac sound, with a driving power metal riff and plenty of tight double bass drumming from Kott. The grandness that characterised the band's earlier work is present again here, with a big string backing throughout thanks to Smolski's keyboards, but they never take anything away from his riffing which continually drives the song - while Sühl showcases his strong vocals again. Guitars in power metal bands are often reduced to a mere rhythmic instrument, providing a backing chug for the songs while the vocals and keyboards provide the main musical focal points - but in Almanac Smolski always ensures that the guitar is placed at the front and centre of every song. All of the songs are packed full of memorable riffs, and even the grander, more symphonic songs still have a strong guitar presence. The strings etc. are always there to support the guitar, and Smolski's playing is never overshadowed by the orchestral arrangements - which helps to cement Almanac's heavier sound. He always finds time for a shredding guitar solo too, and the one here is particularly speedy with some fast-paced neo-classical runs that fit in nicely with the song's overall pace. The Human Essence is another interlude-esque piece complete with dramatic narration and dancing symphonic arrangements. Smolski uses these shorter pieces to indulge in his love for a big symphonic arrangement, with his strings providing a dark, gothic backing for the hammed-up spoken word pieces. These pieces are somewhat overwrought, but they still work well in the context of the album. It gives the album an epic, film score-esque sound that works well - and helps to break up the relentless metal with lighter moments. Satisfied, the final piece of the suite, opens with Smolski's Eastern-sounding sitar melodies, but soon launches into the band's trademark heaviness with a speedy riff and plenty of relentless drumming. Despite the main riff's heaviness, there is actually a fair amount of light and shade to be found throughout the piece. Parts of the verses are more low-key, with choppy guitar rhythms and prominent vocal lines; while the chorus sees the song slowed down somewhat and a much grander orchestral backing used. This is probably the biggest-sounding song on the album, with Smolski's love of orchestral music really pushed to the fore here. The chorus almost boarders on true symphonic metal, while the rest of the song doubles down on the heaviness and speed with some of the most crushing riffs here and a lengthy, shredded guitar solo. The suite is clearly intended to be a follow-up to the LMO album that Rage did in conjunction with the Lingua Mortis Orchestra in 2013 - which was the culmination of Wagner and Smolski's push towards a grander Rage sound and their final collaboration. I am not familiar with the album, but I am familiar with some of the Smolski-era Rage albums and this new suite seems to be a natural continuation of that sound.
The album's final three songs, like the opening couple of numbers, focus more on straight-ahead heaviness and a driving metal sound - with the opening riff of Blink of an Eye taking influence from the djent movement somewhat due to its angular nature. Those fearing that the band have suddenly morphed into TesseracT should fear not however, as this influence is only really apparent in the main riff - with the rest of the song showcasing all the hallmarks of Smolski's songwriting. The verse is a pacy affair with weighty guitar rhythms and some gritty Sühl vocals; while the chorus is much more explosive with Sühl and Marchewka harmonising well together while subtle strings add depth. My favourite part of the song however has to be the instrumental section, which includes another lengthy Smolski solo. However, bassist Rashid also gets a chance to show off. The song is largely stripped back to just the guitar, bass, and drums at this point - with Rashid's varied and melodic playing perfectly underpinning Smolski's solo. Rashid also features during the dancing opening of Can't Hold Me Back, which features his meaty bass playing prominently - while Smolski adds a trademark knotty riff above his playing. The overt heaviness from some of the album's earlier tracks returns here, with the occasional harsh vocals once again making an appearance to really bulk the song up. It would be interesting to see Almanac expand on this style going forward. Smolski's guitar style is naturally quite heavy, so it would be good to see him push this side of his songwriting and collaborate with more harsh vocalists - expanding further into more thrash and extreme metal territories. While I would not want to lose the power metal and symphonic metal trappings he is known for, it would be interesting to see how Almanac would sound with a greater emphasis on extreme metal elements, with the trademark big choruses and solos acting as the light in comparison to the shade found elsewhere. The album's closing number Like a Machine is a good mix of all of the sounds found throughout the album, and it opens slowly with an acoustic guitar melody and some sombre vocals from Sühl and Marchewka - before these gothic overtones are shelved for an explosive power metal riff and plenty of double bass drumming. Smolski's progressive overtones are on display here, as the song's arrangement is a little more dynamic than many of the track here - with a few different vibes present. The song's low-key opening is re-purposed, in a heavier fashion, as a chorus; while there are plenty of chances for Smolski to show off his guitar playing. The instrumental breaks here are among the album's most furious, and there is even a sitar solo squeezed in that morphs into a shredding guitar workout. It is technically-challenging song brings the album to an impressive close, while still containing enough big melodies to be memorable. Overall, Rush of Death is another strong album from Smolski and Almanac that sees the guitarist pushing himself into heavier territories without ever sacrificing any of his knack for a strong melody. Fans of great metal guitar playing should check this album out, but casual fans of the heavier end of the power metal spectrum will also find plenty to enjoy here.
The album was released on 6th March 2020 via Nuclear Blast Records. Below is the band's promotional lyric video for Predator.
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