Band : Heavenwood

Album Title : Redemption

Label : Recital Records

Distributor : Bertus

Release Date : 17/10/2008

Release : CD

“Redemption” is the new album by the Portugese gothic metal band Heavenwood. This time the band is companied with guest appearances by Jeff Waters of Annihilator, Firewind guitarist Gus G. and vocalist Tijs Vanneste of the Belgian progressive metal band Oceans Of Sadness. It has taken ten long years for  Heavenwood to follow-up their highly successful second effort “Swallow” from 1998. All sorts of setbacks have prevented the group from releasing new material, including an increasing line-up turmoil that ultimately lead to a lengthy period of inactivity and reduced them to a strong unit consisting of Ernesto Guerra on vocals, Ricardo Dias on vocals and lead guitar and Bruno Silva on rhythm guitar. Now they’ve written a strong record that sounds genuinely relevant in today’s music scene. It’s a mature and triumphant comeback that’s dynamically positioned somewhere between gothic, metal and rock. “Bridge To Neverland” is perhaps one of the fastest and heaviest themes by the group so far, featuring Jeff Waters as guest musician on lead guitar. It actually sees the band strangely moving through a domain not too far removed from Annihilator. On other occasions it bears some similarities with Paradise Lost during their “Draconian Times” period with songs like “13th Moon” “Fragile” and “Obsolete”. The song “Me & You” on the other hand is more depressive and sounds like Katatonia. “Redemption” is a grandiose work and more dynamic, guitar-driven and accessible than their previous album “Shallow”. With this new album Heavenwood have clearly jumped a few stairs up to deserve the recognition that has long been escaping from them. It was worth waiting for!

85/100

Guido Claes.