TRAVELER – Demo 2018
August 22, 2018, 5 years ago
(Nightstrike)
So here we are with a cauldron of Canadian heavy metal and the newly formed Traveler. These guys aren’t newbies there and you’ll recognize vocalist Jean-Pierre Abboud from others acts like Funeral Circle, Gatekeeper, and Borrowed Time. This three song debut demo is a raw look and the capabilities of this promising band.
Opener “Starbreaker” (not a Judas Priest cover) is some pure, driving speed / heavy metal; just check out that blistering solo and the melodic overture from Matt Ries on this riff monster depicting a sort of space creature attacking earth. Second slicer “Behind The Iron” captures those Iron Maiden vibes with Abboud possessing vocal capabilities to draw notes out to the top degree. Third cut and the longest (over 6 min) is the mesmerizing “Mindless Maze”. After a short intro, the track erupts into another up-tempo riff fest with also the catchiest chorus to boot. Got to love the way Abboud just feels what he’s singing when he soars through that chorus.
The main highlights are the guitar solos; there are a lot of memorable guitar transitions that need repeated listens. For a demo, this is some impressive stuff, just wish there was more of a presence from the bass, but that can be rectified. Watch out for these guys!
