WITHERFALL — A Prelude To Sorrow (review)

WITHERFALL — A Prelude To Sorrow album cover Album · 2018 · Progressive Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
3/5 ·
Kev Rowland
When I first heard the second album from this American progressive/power metal act I was instantly reminded of Iced Earth, especially the period when Tim Owens joined forces with Jon Schaffer. It was only on reading the press release that I realised that main songwriter, guitarist Jake Dreyer, has been a member of that band for the last few years as well. Was he chosen for Iced Earth as he was already performing and writing in that style, or has his day job rubbed off on him? Either way, this is an album which fans of Schaffer are going to be very interested in indeed. Both he and singer Joseph Michael (Sanctuary, Midnight Reign) have been there since the beginning in 2013, and are showing no sign at all of slowing down.

The one thing that does let them down at times is the consistency and quality of the material, but there is no doubt at all that these guys can play, and drummer Steve Bolognese may have only joined in 2017 but his experience with the likes of Ross The Boss shines through. Michael has a great range, able to power up and hit high notes quite easily with no loss of force, and the guitars are huge both in the riffing and shredding stakes. But even after playing this album multiple times, all I can ever remember about it is when it finishes is that it reminds me of Iced Earth, but without the depth in quality when it comes to material. Good, but certainly not essential.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Metal Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

MMA TOP 5 Metal ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
Master of Puppets Thrash Metal
METALLICA
Buy this album from our partners
Paranoid Heavy Metal
BLACK SABBATH
Buy this album from our partners
Moving Pictures Hard Rock
RUSH
Buy this album from our partners
Powerslave NWoBHM
IRON MAIDEN
Buy this album from our partners
Rising Heavy Metal
RAINBOW
Buy this album from our partners

New Metal Artists

New Metal Releases

… And the Universe Keeps Silent Death Metal
MAERE
Buy this album from MMA partners
Le bannissement Atmospheric Black Metal
CANTIQUE LÉPREUX
Buy this album from MMA partners
Tarantula Heart Sludge Metal
MELVINS
Buy this album from MMA partners
God Damned You To Hell Traditional Doom Metal
FRIENDS OF HELL
Buy this album from MMA partners
The Absence Melodic Death Metal
THE ABSENCE
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Metal Online Videos

Fallen Ashes - Wage War (Official Lyric Video)
FALLEN ASHES
Bosh66· 9 days ago
EXISTENTIAL DEAD - Unreality (Single) 2024
EXISTENTIAL DEAD
Bosh66· 9 days ago
EXISTENTIAL DEAD - Cold Hands
EXISTENTIAL DEAD
Bosh66· 9 days ago
IRON MONKEY - Misanthropizer (Official Music Video)
IRON MONKEY
Bosh66· 11 days ago
??? (Losing ART) - "????" (Official Music Video) [HD]
漂浮者樂團
Bosh66· 12 days ago
More videos

New MMA Metal Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Metal News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed