Christian Mistress

Monday, 16 January 2012 22:44

Band: Christian Mistress
Album: Possession
Label: Relapse Records
Tracks: 9
Release Date: 09.03.2012
Length: n/a Riff Score: 9.0/10 How are scores attributed? Christian Mistress, as the traditional side of Relapse's catalogue, comes to assert itself as the epitome of heavy metal, without neglecting the genre's roots in the process. Another very important thing about them is the fact that they don't forget that we're on the 21st century.


Ok... Where to start? My first touch with Christian Mistress was with this new album, "Possession", and I admit that at first I listened to it in a rush, but if you want to do a nice job you have to sit your ass down and pay attention to what you are doing. So, that's what I did and trust me, I've no regrets about that because after listening once I haven't listened to anything else unless Christian Mistress. I've some more reviews to write - it means I've more new albums to listen to -, but in the past couple of days this is what I've listened.

Be prepared for Christine Davis, the Lady Heavy Metal as I call her, and her four knights!

"Over & Over" and "Pentagram and Crucifix" are only the wam up for an astonishing Heavy Metal album. Simply Heavy Metal: vivid, revigorant and somehow revivalist. I don't want to act like a regionalist, but some people may drop their chin when knowing that a band with a sound like this isn't british, but north-american.

Even after the revigorant first two tracks, I feel that "Possesion" really starts with the third one, "Conviction". With a parcial fast-tempo, this song is truly an Iron Maiden revivalism from their early times, because of the little passage that reminded me of the Maiden's song "Strange World" and because of the twin-guitars which will be heard during the album.

Ahead, and after "The Way Beyond", we have the title-track "Possession" that starts slow and very Black Sabbath oriented. This song is hugely catchy and that's where I started to ear some hoarse nuances on Christine's voice, but I will say something more about it further on.

The "Black To Gold" track is good for headbanging and also great for Oscar Sparbel and Ryan McClain to exercise their fingers on fast shredding, but then some calmness emerges with "There Is Nowhere" which starts as a ballad and with no response it explods to another Iron Maiden imaginary with the twin-guitars and fast riffs.

"Haunted Hunted" is my favourite track and the best performance of Christine Davis in all the album. The hoarse nuances on her voice are more evident here and I think it sounds so sexy. A voice like that coming from a female is something you don't hear every day in Heavy Metal. Finally, this song has everything a traditional Heavy Metal tune has to have: quick pace, memorable passages, solos and twin-guitars. (You can listen to it below in the YouTube clip.)

The last song, "All Abandon", begins in an accoustic way and if you think it's working as a farewell don't get too cozy, because the Christian Mistress energy will hunt you till the end of this "Possession".

I just want to say as a final note that Christian Mistress are coming to stay and even if the year is just in its beginning, I risk to say "Possession" will be one of the most addictive records of 2012 and I'm a black metal guy... Enough said!


Review by Diogo Ferreira




Post: Diogo Ferreira







Metal Genres: Heavy Metal |

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