Memoriam - Rise To Power

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Sometimes it amazes you why it is that you have never have heard any music of a certain band before. such is the case for me with MEMORIAM. These Old School Death Metallers have been around since 2015 and “Rise To Power” is already their fifth album to date. As I stated, I have never heard anything of their endeavours before this album, and I am thoroughly regretting that. But I also know that this is something I need to correct, as I am very happy with “Rise To Power”.

I know that I am not one of the biggest, baddest or heaviest fan of Death Metal music, but I do know and recognise when a band has some serious staying power. And MEMORIAM has that in spades. I dare say that if they would have been around at the end of the eighties and beginning of the nineties, they would have been massive. In this day and age of digital platforms and streaming you can easily have a lot of listens, but I really do feel that a band would get a lot more satisfaction by knowing how their sales was and is. Whether it be vinyl, CD, music cassette, they are something you as a listener can hold on to, call you possession. Whilst a stream is something done, but never really yours.

For the band the difference is that they know you are in possession of something they created, something you are proud of owning and they are proud of what they produced. As for MEMORIAM, they should be thoroughly proud of “Rise To Power” and especially the quality of the songs they have written. They all have depth (about six feet?), substance (skin and bones?), covering (sand?) and importance (mortality?), Plus the record is blessed with a production that brings out every instrument to it’s finest, enhancing the impression and emotions that MEMORIAM is going for. Musically these guys are up there with NILE, OBITUARY, MORBID ANGEL and early ENTOMBED. All Death Metal bands that were a different from the main body of bands. I feel MEMORIAM has that as well.

I have to say, even the name MEMORIAM is apt for such a great Death Metal band. But when push comes to shove, it’s all about the music, and through my ramblings I hope you’ve been able to read that I am really enjoying, appreciating and even loving “Rise To Power”. Now it’s a matter for me to try and get hold of the physical copies of MEMORIAM music, and of course “Rise To Power” will be the first one to obtain. Oh, and to see them play live. I’d like that very much.

Songwriting: 9
Musicianship: 9
Memorability: 9
Production: 9