Time Signature Cut to the chase...

Genre: heavy metal / US power metal

I have to be honest. I've never heard about these guys before. Their name, their logo, and the cover artwork for this album almost made me rite them off as yet another breakdown spewing metalcore or deathcore act. My curiosity got the best of me and I gave the album a spin.

Imagine my surprise when hearing, not run-of-the-mill deathcore, but quality traditional heavy metal with hints of power metal and a modern sound. Driven by riffs, the songs on this album are melodic, epic, and hard rocking - a good example of this is 'Killing Time' with its use of double bass drums, soaring vocals and intricate twin guitar figures and a couple of neoclassicisms as well. The compositions are generally intricate without being convoluted, and Laugh At The Fakes are not afraid to incorporate bursts of aggression and groove into their music. The stand-out track for me is 'Cut to the Chase' which is more of an AOR affair with a hard rock riff and a catchy chorus. It's not that it's better or worse than the more metallic tracks on the album, but it sure is different, and amidst the Judas Priest and Iron Maiden references on the album, an AOR track just adds variety. I would argue that there is even a sight progressive element on the album, which is particularly prevalent in the groovy and dynamic 'Fighting Dirty', which is also a damn good metal song.

The production is pretty good. It is well defined and crisp, which suits the catchy and epic melodies quite well. The musicianship and songwriting skills of the band are impeccable. Taking cues from the greats, like Maiden, Priest, and Helloween, Laugh At The Fakes take these references in a new direction, resulting in strong modern heavy metal with elements of US power metal.

This album should appeal to fans of traditional metal and US power metal alike. It's an extremely varied, yet focused, metal release. It's simply awesome.