Band : Blood Redemption
Album title : Picking Up The Pieces Of A Broken Past
Label : Genet Records
Distributor : Suburban - Bertus
Release date : 29/08/2009
Release : CD

Well, if you’re wondering why this Belgian Metalcore act titled its sophomore album the way it did, let me suggest that the guys are indeed picking up the pieces of a broken past (well, actually, “…the message is about letting go of the things that are bad for you in one way or another, and being able to let go of your attachments to focus on the future, and making a better world, and a better life for yourself…” – from a blog on the band’s MySpace page). Following the release of their debut album Shadowbreed(review by yours truly posted 29/10/2007, and that’s why I can recommend said article for your fact-finding needs up to that point in the band’s history), frontman Wim Jacobs must’ve felt the disadvantages of singing in two nice bands at a time (he’s also vocalist for Crimson Falls) and so he left in 2008, which meant BR had to cancel a number of gigs.

With Nabil Sanaullah (formerly of At The Funeral), the band eventually found a new frontman in early 2009, and the guys immediately set to writing the songs for a new album, which they recorded during Spring at CCR Studios with renowned Belgian producer Kurt Belaen behind the knobs (again, because he was also responsible for the first album’s sound). And that there’s no real hard feelings between the band and their former frontman, is proven by the fact that he joined the band in the studio to sing guest vocals on the song “New-Age Colonialism”. Other guests, by the way, are Mieke De Backer (backing vocals on “Our Final Hope”), and Fréderique Declercq (synths on album opening instrumental “Contact” and the album’s other, calmer, instrumental “Interlude”).

Fans of the band who haven’t witnessed the band live yet (by the way, since the recordings the band has had to separate itself from their old bassist Stefan “AVB” Van Bael – himself a replacement for Sim Meerseman who played on the debut full-length, since around the same time as Jacobs left - new man since late October is one Jurgen Ellias) may wonder whether the new singer means the band has a different sound, vocally? You can rest your worrying minds, because things are still very much the same in that department. Well, maybe there’s sóme differences after all…like for starters there’s slightly less “clean vocal” moments on this new album (which is just as well, because in the album’s bonus track “A New Beginning”, an acoustic ballad, you get proof of the fact that people who sound nice screaming their heads off don’t necessarily have a very strong voice when singing at “normal” levels). Due to that slight failure (the band would’ve done better to leave that bonus track off the album), and only thàt failure, an otherwise perfect rating suffers severely (even if the rest of the album deserves more than anything to make my year-lists).

The band premiered their new material at this year’s edition of the Ieperfestand to finish off the year, the band will be playing three shows in Austria (17 to 19 December), and if you’re not living in the vicinity of the places they’ll be at (check myspace.com/bloodredemptionh8000 for details, and also for audio material off the album…and more). The band is now looking out towards the rest of the world, but whether they’ll really be able to make an impact on the major label ruled global music scene remains to be seen. Who cares, except for that slight beauty mistake, BR gives proof on this new outing of being a band that is well synchronized to each other, and their album is really enjoyable!

90/100

Tony.