I had the pleasure of reviewing this Yorkshire band’s last EP, ‘Into War’, last year and since that release the band have spent some quality time in the studio developing their sound and working on new tracks. This is much beefier and more precise to that previous release but the band still need to find a better studio to record in with more dynamics. The sound is still thin on the drums and the guitar tone has a lot of treble in it, but as mentioned earlier this is a vast improvement on their last release and there is promise here.

Musically Hamerex are a British band playing British heavy metal; cool, right? I think so. Chris Moules’ vocals are powerful – they sound gruff but he’s still very much singing through his throat. ‘The Lycan’ trades many guitar solos and licks. It is very Maiden inspired, there is a slight change in the guitar tone between players, but when the dual attack comes in it is quite pleasing, it has to be said. Learning well from the masters of British metal I do tend to find similarities with a lot of classic bands, simply by the arrangements and production, which is no bad thing for sure. ‘Aftershocks of Death’ starts this EP and introduces the listener to a fist raising upbeat piece of metal, a short piece of music that ends just as it all becomes clearer and you are really getting into the arrangement. ‘The Headless Horseman’ rips its way up and down the fretboard, twisting its galloping rhythm and making you feel like you’re truly on a horse galloping at speed.

Overall a much improved release. I still have to check these guys out live should they travel around this wondrous land a bit more on the live circuit, but from what you hear on ‘The Lycan’ this is a British band doing everything a metal band should do.

http://www.myspace.com/hamerex
http://www.myspace.com/swerveltd

Paul Maddison
Metal Team UK