RANGER - Risen From The Ruins

January 17, 2023, a year ago

(Elektro)

Mark Gromen

Rating: 6.0

review heavy metal ranger

RANGER - Risen From The Ruins

Reduced to two original members, plus a few guests, to keep the name alive, the Finnish speedsters who last graced us with 2016's Speed & Violence (Spinefarm) unleash eight new tracks, repeated in two different languages (Suomi/English). While the last outing was unabashed, straight forward/rudimentary speed metal, this time around Ranger opted for a slightly more diversified approach: for better or worse.

Focusing only on the Anglicized versions of the songs, they open with noisy, echoing voiced title track, which ends with a dual-sex choir, droning nonsensical utterances. Can tell it's the wail of Dimi Pontiac on "Revolution", played pretty straight, albeit with a little punk element and odd sound effects/backwards recordings which appear between each track. Most experimental is the jangling, three minute "Worms", complete with female backing vox. Recalls the haunting, ‘90s era Tiamat. A repeated, high pitched phrase: "serving the master" comprises a large portion of "Servant", chugging riffs slicing through this old school sounding Ranger tune. Snare bashing wall of sonic chaos (just like previous outings) greets "Pigs". A bit of drums, to start, eventually joined by buzz saw guitar and over-the-top double tracked/but echoing lyricist on "Guerrilla". Full speed ahead, at reduced production standards. Before tearing off to sonic Armageddon, there's a mid-tempo plod to begin disc closing "Insurgency" which otherwise possesses a dodgy demo "quality" to the sound. Can hear a police siren in the background as the title is barked as a four syllable word and the whiz, pop, whirls conclude with an alien voice repeatedly mouthing the same word.

Hardly essential, but for those wondering "What ever happened to..." here's the (unfortunately) unsatisfying answer.



Featured Video

KELEVRA - "The Distance"

KELEVRA - "The Distance"

Latest Reviews