Rage
Welcome To The Other Side

THE REVIEW

After remarkable ups and downs, adventures, and a line-up renewal, Rage returns with an album worthy of utmost attention; it couldn't be otherwise, because Rage albums are always "important"!

We are talking, without exaggeration, about one of the best heavy metal bands of the last 10 years, with an artistic and human depth unknown to 99 percent of their peers. Having returned some time ago to the trio formula, with the addition of Russian guitarist Victor Smolski and talented drummer Mike Terrana, Rage embarks on a complex and intriguing work, at times schizophrenic due to the variety of approaches present, angular and nocturnal, with strong gothic hues but with unexpected bursts of brightness that seem slightly forced. Peavey Wagner's great ability to punctuate the emotional tension crescendo of his songs remains unchanged, now channeled into a powerful and dramatic metal rock, enriched by Smolski's seventies background and smoky dark atmospheres.

The initial Trauma/Paint the devil on the wall display the usual fierce grip, but one shouldn't be surprised to encounter the dream-like blues of Deep in the night (which somewhat cites early Whitesnake) or a Straight to hell with a distorted, bouncy riff akin to a heavy version of Aerosmith. There is no trace of "commercialization" because the tracks are lengthy and the structures complex and dark-tinged, and because Rage is a band above normal business logic. Not many can write a long suite like Tribute to dishonour without making the listener want to cast the disc aside, but rather keeping them glued to the music, until they reach the dark shores of the ballad After the end, composedly melancholic.

An album for those who say power doesn't evoke emotions...