H R H - R E V I E W S

Loch Vostok
Destruction Time Again Escapi Music

Comments: Hard charging, straight ahead heavy metal that has a progressive slant to it is much better than a full-fledged assault from a keyboard band trying to be metal. In this vein, Loch Vostok was created and comes through for real metal fans with a deep seeded complete album entitled Destruction Time Again. Fortunately for us it is so much more then that. This band, named after a subterranean lake in Antarctica, rose out of the collapse of Progressive Metal band Mayadome in 2001. But after hearing that new creation, Loch Vostok’s album you would be hard pressed to refer to them as progressive, as hard rough vocals and killer riffs knock you on your ass.

The best thing about the album is many areas that are unique when the tempos and styles are completely flipped and this band shows their complete acumen. One of the songs which best illustrates this diversity is “Jonestown Slumber Party” where the band shows wonderful keyboard work from and both slow and gentle and fast and powerful guitar playing. They also use some near death metal vocals and a small funky drum solo from Alvero Svanero in this great song as well.

The next song “Xerox Nation” shows this same unique ability when a basic rock song is turned into a progressive ditty with outstanding keys and then a charging chugging riff which blends into a slow axe rhythm. Then it’s back to the rock song format it originally started with. There are many really different well played guitar solos from Moller and Kupper are spaced throughout the album such as the soulful clean/then deviant and aggressive piece in “Hamanitix”, the thrash metal distortion filled joint in “Rebound” or the one in “Xerox Nation” with chops and riffs mixed through.

If you are more of a speed metal guy, then the solo in “Autumn Lord” is the one for you. If you like virtuosity and clean playing then the one in “Talk” is par for your course. The keyboards of Fredrik Klingwall are used really well also, like in the middle of the hard death metal sounding “Falself” the majestic black metal key notes found in “Jonestown Slumber Party”, or the jovial symmetry of the speedy keys in “Talk.” The vocals are the most interesting of all the diverse musical approaches as frontman Teddy Möller pretty much spans all the genres. Several songs he sings gruff rock vocals while on others it's death vocals, then finally smooth soft rock vocals and all of it works on each of the intended songs level.

This band is simply straight forward in your face different, and it works. Pick up a copy of Destruction Time Again immediately if not sooner. It is a really well done effort from start to finish from the Swedish semi Progressive “Metal” outfit.

Band members:
Teddy Möller - Vocals/Guitar
Niklas Kupper - Guitars
Tomas "Tym" Jonsson - Bass
Fredrik Klingwall - Keyboards
Alvaro Svanerö - Drums

Track listing:
Humanitix
Rebound
Jonestown Slumber Party
Xerox Nation
Autumn Lord
Destruction Time Again
Symbiosis
Falself
Talk
True Deceiver
Gestalta

HRH Rating: 8.2/10

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