Tempest Rising have become a staple on the metal scene in Perth in the last few years and with a few international support slots along the way to help boost the band’s profile, it seems things are only getting bigger for the band. But more importantly, it’s the music itself that counts the most and without that all too important ingredient outside of a killer live show, a band has nothing to showcase. Fortunately for Tempest Rising they have the goods and their latest album “”Alter Ego” not only shows an evolution for the band but proof that they have what it takes to go next level.
“Alter Ego” is the follow up to their debut album “Transmutation” which came out back in 2014 and it’s a natural progression of the band’s sound. While their influences are worn on their sleeves through out this album, taking groove and nu metal influences and thrash elements and mashing them in a melodic concoction of modern metal, Tempest Rising have also showed some original diversity that makes the songs a more enjoyable listen.
After a short building intro, “Fuck The Scene” opens things up right away, building on thrashy aspects and pure aggression. Immediately this one has the makings of a classic and it’s already sitting high on our list of favorites on the album as killer break downs and some scorching lead guitar work set the tone for the rest of the album. “Slight Everlasting” brings in much more melodic parts and also has a slight Iron Maiden influence coming through in the main melody that drives this song, giving an almost classic metal feel to it. The trademark Tempest Rising sound though does become more prevalent as the song goes on but already it’s a strong start to the album.
On that point of the band’s signature sound, there’s definitely a lot of that as we head into the abyss of the album. Tracks like “Duplicates“, “Ostracize Me” and “Escape The Sky” are filled with those moments where that groove shines through immensely. “Burn Them Down” adds some frenzy to the mix too with a bit of extra pace to the tempo but the latest single “Ghosts” is definitely a highlight and for good reason. It’s a nice slab of metal that ranges from all out thrash to mid-tempo grooves and another blistering guitar solo that has in itself become a sort of focal point when hearing these songs.
“Singularity” brings more diversity to the table with the band going hardcore, making this one of the heaviest on offer here. The blend of melodic and gritty vocals on this is also a stand out and among many things on the album, becomes one of the finer points that Tempest Rising provide consistently. “Curb Your Stomp” goes on a bit of a winding trek as this melody filled rocker that gets a bit of prog treatment, it’s not something you would necessarily expect from the Perth metal act but that’s what makes this album a solid piece of work. It also shows just how far the band have come in the 7 years they have been around making this another stand out track.
Closing out the album is interestingly enough the first taste of the album released at the beginning of the year in “Breathe“, a melodic rocker of sorts that really speaking is a fitting end to “Alter Ego”. Having been first described on it’s release as “complexly rich in crushing power and virtuosity, yet somehow immovably simple and uplifting“, this closer in many ways does encapsulate much of what Tempest Rising are about, even if it’s not necessarily the heaviest track here. So on that note “Alter Ego” is easily the best work that Tempest Rising have released yet, it’s heavy, it’s melodic, it’s catchy and it’s memorable with those all important hooks delivered in all the right areas. The album also proves that some of the best music still lies in the underground local scene but if the band play their cards right, this could be the start of much bigger things to come.
8/10
TRACKLIST
Intro
Fuck The Scene
Slight Everlasting
Burn Them Down
Singularity
Duplicates
Ghosts
Curb Your Stomp
Ostracize Me
Escape The Sky
Breathe
