X-World/5 – New Universal Order

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AFM Records
Produced by Stefan Svensson

A ‘supergroup’ of essentially power metal musicians would ordinarily be expected to produce a power metal, or at a push a progressive metal album, you would think. But X-World/5, put together by former Hammerfall bassist Magnus Rósen, haven’t gone down the obvious route.

Indeed many of the tracks, particularly Cyberchrist, Charge of War and Stand Up, have an industrial style groove to them, with very heavy guitars and far more sinister vocals than fans of singer Nils K. Rue (Pagans Mind) will be used to. The band are completed by guitar heroes Reeves Gabrels (Razor Ball) and Andy LaRocque (ex-King Diamond) and drummer/programmer Stefan “Big Swede” Svensson.

On most of the songs some of Rue’s vocals are twisted by effects and samples, only for him to wail in his distinctive tone straight afterwards. The contrast adds an ominous feeling to an already dark sound that, for the most part, is massively heavy. For most of Charge of War‘s verses, for example, Rue is completely unrecognisable as his voice is distorted into that of a sci-fi movie robotic villain over Ministry-ish guitars, which give way to shred solos later on.

Power metal fans expecting something along the lines of Pagan’s Mind meets Hammerfall, tread carefully. This is a very different sound for everyone involved, and it is incredibly good, but perhaps not what fans would expect. The concept came primarily from Rósen and Svensson, which would account for the predominance of bass-heaviness and programming/effects respectively. This is the soundtrack to a horror movie in space; dark, pulsing and loud. You’ve been warned.

“ sinister ”

Tracklist: Cyberchrist / Man Machine / Charge of War / Stand Up / A Cryptic Message / Crooked Cross / Lunar Voyage / Argonaut / New Eden

Written by Andy Lye
More: Albums, Industrial, Power Metal, X-World/5