TAD MOROSE - Modus Vivendi
January 28, 2004, 20 years ago
(Century Media)
If there's one band that should be embraced by the power metal crowd that finds value in acts like Brainstorm, Lefay, Eidolon and the like, Tad Morose is it. The band's sixth album, their third in this balls-out direction, Modus Vivendi fills the gap left by the sorely missed Lefay lads, castle metal (as Popoff likes to call it) par excellence, loaded with melody and groove, a foundation of concrete and steel provided by a monstrous rhythm section. Singer Urban Breed, who sounds like a very pissed off Zak Stevens, kills once again, his melodic aggression second to none. 'Anubis' is the killer lead-off anthem that reels you in, 'Afraid To Die' is reminiscent of Morgana Lefay's classic Sanctified album (remember 'To Isengard'?), and 'Clearly Insane' and 'Mother Shipton's Words' are twin jet-fuelled runaway trains. Someone get these guys a real tour; they deserve it and so do we.
