Band : Messenger
Album title : See You In Hell
Label : Maccacre Records
Distributor : Suburban
Release date : 09/09/2011
Release : CD

Messenger is quite an unknown band. Time to change this a bit I think. When having a look at this German band's website and you go and check out the band photos, there's only one band that comes to mind: Manowar. The leather clothes, the well considered poses and long hair, it's all there. When it comes to the music, it's indeed true metal. The screaming vocals on See You in Hell, combined with convincing grunts and screams, extreme blastbeats, outstanding guitar riffs, etc. only hold one message: what you expect is what you get. The music indeed reminds us of Manowar, but bands such as Hammerfall and even Helloween are not too far away either. Especially the opening title track is not very innovative, but truly very bombastic, catchy and, most of all, pure metal. On See You In Hell, the band brings songs about battle and their music really represents this in an outstanding way.
Despite the perfect mastering of this album, I think it lacks a bit of creativity and, by the end of the record, you tend to lose your attention. This doesn't mean that Messenger can't wonderfully stand for one hell of a metal party. Quite the contrary. With See You In Hell, these German fellows clearly spread their message. See You In Hell won't mean their big international breakthrough, but nevertheless, they've proven to have the potential that's needed in this world of metal.

80/100

Tim.