Album Review: Sonic Prophecy – Savage Gods

Sonic Prophecy – Savage Gods

Release Date: 19/01/2018

Record Label: Rockshots Records

Sonic Prophecy were first formed in 2008 and released their debut album ‘A divine act of war’ in 2010.  They have captured the excitement and sound of such bands as Iron Maiden and Judas Priest while introducing other musicalstyles, creating their own unique sound.

Opening with a dramatic and strong guitar riff the title track ‘Savage Gods‘ sets a feel for what wonder the rest of the record will hold. With a long instrumental introduction which includes shredding and suspense the vocals come in with power and and a gravelly tone which fits the vibe perfectly. The track has a creepy undertone and chromatic feel especially in the chorus which instantly grabs the attention of myself as the listener, the guitar solo after the chorus does this perfectly as well. Night Terror carries on with this dissonant and spooky feel and builds with power and effectiveness. The vocals are sung clearly and with power that goes perfectly with the guitars and driving drum pulse in the background. With yet another guitar solo it shows that Sonic Prophecy don’t mess around when it comes to being an influential and up and coming band.

Unholy Blood goes straight into things with a guitar solo which sets the tone for the rest of the song and shows how talented these guys are. A slightly different vocal style is used within this track but it works perfectly with the rest of the band, with a dramatic chorus and fast paced rhythm it doesn’t let the listener relax but instead captivates them. Dreaming of the Storm takes on a slightly lighter and less busy stance than the songs previous to it, which breaks up the record into perfect sections and adds some variation and shows the band’s versatility. Featuring many of the same things as previous songs, Sonic Prophecy have managed to make Dreaming of the Storm sound completely new and unique.

Man The Guns brings in a whole new style, with wholesome chords and a bass dominated instrumental accompaniment as well as strong vocals sung with vigour and a flare of the dramatic. The chorus has catchy lyrics as well as a pure guitar riff. The second verse opening with only vocals and drums is so effective that there couldn’t be a more perfect song to have mid album. The end of the track has a new sense of urgency which is perfectly matched to the style of the album. Walk Through The Fire opens with a completely new feel than the rest of the record, with light bass chords and accompaniment it is a clear show that Sonic Prophecy are more than heavy rock. The melodic guitar introduction following on from this is truly beautiful and sets high expectations for the rest of the track. Provstgaard uses an incredible vocal range especially within this track, from lows to falsetto highs. As one of the longer songs of the record you wouldn’t notice as it carries so much variation and good musicianship that it feels like it doesn’t last long enough.

A Prayer Before Battle opens with distant horns and then goes straight into an epic guitar introduction. The chorus is sung with passion and intent which once again blends with the instrumentation seamlessly. This then goes into the far slower bridge section which sounds almost like a complete different style of music, they work so well it shows how talented Sonic Prophecy are, especially when the tempo greatly speeds up into the guitar solo and final chorus. Iron Clad Heart opens with what is perhaps the shortest introduction and flings us straight into a fast paced verse. With heavy rock roots and and a dramatic chorus this is the style Sonic Prophecy have claimed as their own. With a dramatic bridge and ending this song is perfect for the record.

Man and Machine opens with a building guitar melody which builds into solid power chords. With a heavily structured verse and strong and powerful chorus and an epic guitar solo this is the perfect penultimate song to the album. Chasing the Horizon opens with a long and dramatic introduction and then the vocals come in full of vigour as seen previously. The chorus takes a slower and more dramatic turn and is the kind of song you could easily picture fans screaming back full of as much vigour as the band. Every song seems to tell a unique story and this can certainly be seen here with the strong imagery of sea and ships. The bridge totally thins out and then comes back in with melodic guitar shredding and throws us back into the epic and fast paced finale. This is a perfect song to end the record with.

Overall Savage Gods is an extraordinary display of musicianship and the rock genre. It brings rock back to it’s authentic roots and tells a story with each different song, although this isn’t my usual type of music style to listen to I throughly enjoyed the album and recommend checking it out!

Recommended Track: Walk Through The Fire

Rating: 7.5/10

Check out their website here.