Time Signature Never died before...

Genre: modern power-thrash

Voodoo Terror Tribe are often described as a progressive thrash metal band. I must admit that I do not really think that Stands to Reason is particularly well described through the 'progressive thrash metal' label – it is definitely not typical progressive thrash metal, which tends to be hyper-technical and quirky like Invocator or the mighty Watchtower. In fact, we are dealing with quite accessible and straightforward music on this EP.

Still, this EP is definitely different. Stylistically, we are dealing with modern power-thrash with references to the Swedish Gothenburg sound, but Voodoo Terror Tribe do not sound as generic as many other bands within this genre do. No afraid to make use of electronic effects and synths, Voodoo Terror Tribe treats the listener to five songs which, although there is is stylistic coherence, sounds different from the others. 'Masquerade' is a heavier affair, with electronic effects merely supplementing the heavy drums and guitars, while 'Stand to Reason' is a ballad with lush keyboard arrangements and a catchy melodic chorus, and 'Twenty12' is a quasi-aggressive power-thrasher with guitar grooves and noisy electro-effects. 'Separate Ways' is, of course, a cover version of the Journey song and, while it does not quite reach the same level of excellence as the original, Voodoo Terror Tribe's version is nonetheless an interesting one in which the band remain quite faithful to the original, yet add their own spin to it. Finally, 'Never Died Before' is an industrial metal remix of a groovy track from 2009's Symptoms of Pain.

Definitely an interesting release from Voodoo Terror Tribe, the Stands to Reason-EP should appeal to fans of modern metal, who do not mind modern power-thrash with an industrial touch and loads of melody.

(review originally posted at seaoftranquility.org)