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HOUSE OF ATREUS "Orations"
HOUSE OF ATREUS "Orations"
By Dr. Abner Mality
A very welcome sight indeed, the return of HOUSE OF ATREUS is long overdue. This Minnesota band has a very unique place in the American metal scene, as they have a more European feel to their tales of Greek tragedy and mythology. Think of a rougher, more death-oriented MANILLA ROAD...epic metal through a heavier lens..
"Orations" is labeled a mini-LP, but is pretty generous for such, coming in at a robust 33 minutes. The band has always been about RIFFS and there's no shortage of great ones here. It has to be said these tracks are not as frantic and bloodthirsty as past efforts, focusing more on marching tempos and majestic crunch. The vocals are rough and gruff, but you can make out actual words, which is important for a band that relies on lyrics as much as HOUSE OF ATREUS. The album gradually builds to "Cathedral of Ancestry", which is a masterclass in soaring epic metal, full of riffs that make you feel like marching off to the Trojan Wars.
To top it off, the band covers RUNNING WILD's "Riding the Storm", staying true to that swashbuckling cut but also injecting a lot of HOUSE's own rugged sound. I know these guys work at their own pace, but I sure hope we don't have to wait long for a full-length followup to this. This band is the absolute definition of hidden treasure!
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