I was very excited about the new release by ANDRAS because I listened to their music long time ago when they played raw Black Metal – consequently I am really surprised positively by the musical direction the band has chosen on their Iron Way.
Eminently the felicitous clear voice comes across in unexpected manner and reminds of Vintersorg for my pleasure. ANDRAS do not only use this clear pitch and so aggressive shouting completes the vocal spectrum adeptly.
Concerning music the artists perform anthem-like, borne and catchy on the one side, but they are able to unleash the beast in driving tracks taking care of refrains to sing along. The band knows how to throttle speed in between and offers much space for atmospheric sentiments to unfold. Like a battleship ANDRAS take on speed bit by bit, just listen to the felicitous song Spellbreaker.
Fortunately the compositions do not sound very catchy so that a closer look and listen is necessary. I can’t deny that the offered songs imply a certain bulky touch. So ANDRAS oscillate between simple, easy to follow elements and demanding structures. The listeners get entertainment as well as challenge – that’s the way it has to be. Some tracks cannot offer impelling and first class stuff continuously, but I really enjoy the tunes if the group sets its focus on epic structures and lets the ideas breathe like in Return To Black Hill, which sends the one or other goose pimps on to a journey. In this case the clear voice and the piece by piece augmented tempo enthuse, contrasted by a highly elegiac guitar melody in the background. Afterwards the short track Infested has the effect of a direct hit in the face, ere the music turns to cling in more borne and hymn-like manner anew. I want to highlight the dragging piece Kreuzweg combining screeched vocals and hymnal timbre. Besides the guitarist offers embossed melodies in the lap of luxury.
ANDRAS stay surprisingly - they vary adeptly, convince through successful vocal arrangements but sometimes forget to integrate nice melodies. This lack obviates a more benevolent overall view in my opinion. Nevertheless ANDRAS show up well in this overrun genre of blackened epic metal!