Year : 2011 (Metal On Metal Records Edition 2018)
Style : Heavy Metal , Power Metal
Country : United States
Audio : 320 kbps + all scans + Video
Size : 111 mb
Bio:
Boston based MELIAH RAGE was founded in 1987 under the leadership of guitarist/songwriter Anthony Nichols. The band, consisting of Mike Munro on vocals, Anthony Nichols on guitar, Jim Koury on guitar, Stuart Dowie on drums and Jesse Johnson on bass, forged a distinct sound of aggressive, heavy rhythm with searing melodies and catchy arrangements. A three-song demo was recorded in 1987.Although determined in his mission of metal, Nichols had spent a brief tour with the seminal Boston hardcore band, GANG GREEN. The association with the band would eventually pay off however, as it led to MELIAH RAGE’s official launch. The manager of GANG GREEN took them in and had two major labels look at them within a month. MELIAH RAGE signed to Epic Records after only 8 shows. A band playing this style of music signing to a major label for their debut was unheard of in 1988.The group recorded their first album, entitled “Kill To Survive”, released in 1988. The debut melded the band’s various influences, and was quite different from anything released at the time. Rather than relying on 2-dimensional, lightning riffing, the band used a more melodic, mid-tempo rhythm, injecting haunting lyrical material that revolved around the frailties of humanity, hypocrisy, corruption, abuse. The video for “Beginning Of The End” aired on MTV worldwide.In 1989 the band embarked on a three month US tour with heavyweights METAL CHURCH. The Detroit show was recorded and the live EP “Live Kill” was released later that year. The band also hit the stage with the likes of SLAYER, TESTAMENT, NUCLEAR ASSAULT, MANOWAR, OVERKILL, MEGADETH, MORBID ANGEL and others that and the following year.In 1990 the band returned to the studio and recorded their second album “Solitary Solitude” which to this day is considered an underrated classic. A video for the song “The Witching” was shot and aired on MTV’s Headbangers Ball. A five week European tour soon followed and MELIAH RAGE seemed to be on their way to the top of the heavy metal world.Unfortunately, the musical tide was changing. The early ’90s hit and MELIAH RAGE, like so many other bands of the time, was dropped in favor of the Seattle sound. After some time off the band re-grouped with the addition of then drummer Sully Erna (future GODSMACK vocalist) and bassist Keith Vogele. The new lineup recorded demos, played some shows over a couple of years and searched for a record deal, but it was becoming apparent that there wasn’t much room for this style of music in the early ’90s. Meanwhile, Nichols also worked on a side project, CACTUS LAND, with Koury and vocalist Paul Souza. Despite not landing a contract, Nichols’ collaboration with Souza would prove to be beneficial for the future.Still in December 2010 MELIAH RAGE was approached by Metal On Metal Records and the agreement for releasing the band’s next album was soon reached. The band continued tracking “Dead To The World” from January to May 2011. Their 7th studio album was released on July 28th and brings some classic US power metal mixed with a dose of thrash, with great melodies and crunchy riffs.This year the band have announced the addition of singer Marc Lopes to the group's ranks. The band currently has a new album, "Warrior", with a release date of April 25th, 2014. Lopes, who hails from New Bedford, Massachusetts, was previously involved with DARK DAY SUNDAY, the old-school thrash outfit featuring FATES WARNING guitarist Frank Aresti and SHADOWS FALL drummer Jason Bittner.
Album:
Dead to the World is about the internal struggle we all know in our own ways through our various day to day struggles, but as you can see focuses on a soldier in the artwork. It’s about our inner strength through hard times and fighting our demons. The music is intelligently written, so don’t expect a group of grown men sitting around whining about this and that. Meliah Rage features twin guitars and bass riffs that could bring any guitarist to their knees, and driving, hard-hitting drums that are absolutely the force behind every song. The music they’ve put together is my favorite part to this album. It is thrash, but progressive, melodic, and in its own way beautiful. The guitars work so well together, perfectly harmonized and moving especially in the instrumental “Absolute Obedience” featuring audio clips about World War 2.The vocals have an 80’s thrash sound to them much like the likes of Metallica in their earlier albums. Upon first listening had someone told me this was James Hetfield’s other band from 1990 or so, I’d completely believe it. Especially in the track “Where Nothing Ever Grows” I can seriously hear some Metallica influence. This song sounds to me like it is some long lost track on Master of Puppets.They’ve managed to incorporate many different styles and emotions within the album, while consistently sticking with a relatively sad or gloomy tone about feeling Dead to the World… one might say. The sad lyrics that would normally be read as a cry out for help are cleverly disguised in the heavy music and angry vocal style of Souza. “Time Won’t Let Me Breathe” is a great example of this trick. Paying attention to the lyrics, you can hear a lot of sadness and struggle. However, the thrash elements pick you up throughout the song and help you to look past the sadness and see the beauty of what the song really is – a fantastic heavy metal track.All around, the album isn’t going to launch these guys into the mainstream heavy metal world but it’s a great addition to the US metal scene. I’m sure we’d all agree our scene here is severely lacking a true heavy sound like Meliah Rage. They’re an old school metal sound for a new generation of metal heads that I truly look forward to hearing more from in the future.
Line Up:
Stuart Dowie Drums (1987-1992, 2005-present) - See also: Bad Karma
Jim Koury Guitars (1987-present) - See also: ex-Cactus Land
Anthony Nichols Guitars (1987-present) - See also: Mexican Ape-Lord, ex-Cactus Land
Paul Souza Vocals (2003-2007, 2011, 2017-present) - See also: ex-Cactus Land
Darren Lourie Bass (2006-present) - See also: ex-Every Second, ex-JetFuel
Tracklist:
01. Up In Flames
02. Valley Of The Shadowless Souls
03. Skin and Bones
04. Absolute Obedience (Instrumental)
05. Where Nothing Ever Grows
06. Never From Me
07. Cold Cruel Fate
08. Time Won't Let Me Breathe
09. Awaken Sorrow
10. Up In Flames (Demo'94) (Bonus Track)
11. Cold Cruel Fate (Demo'94) (Bonus Track)
+ Video "Where Nothing Ever Grows" (Official Video)
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