The sound of Black Era is quite full of pressure though it is a self produced release and so I nod accordingly with my head, but additionally the song ideas and the fresh as well as easygoing approach can attune me positively.
The first track Ever Been To Hell? dashes in with fast as an arrow yet melodic tunes and the voice is aggressive in convenient measures, can offer besides screeching and more down to earth grunts a clear aspect (e.g. in The Dark Passenger, supplied with a mosh part). The guitar melodies are arranged in an interesting way, touch Power Metal fields not only once and take care of natural alternation. Thereby brummagem and pathos are chanceless against the driving rhythms, only sometimes the sparsely used Keyboard melodies and some guitar solos overegg the pudding. The same is true for the “ohooo”-sing-alongs in the opening track. Fortunately, this is not often the case and so the positive aspects prevail on Black Era by far. GOLEM don't invent the guitar strings brand new, still the delight in playing and the racy speed, paired with beautiful melodies as well as well dosed portions of heaviness let appear the album in good light. The Italians experience with different voices and so they collect Brownie Points diligently, because of the refrain in World Of Lies (screeching vocals are combined with clear voice) for instance. During the whole course the quality level does not oscillate - neither up nor down, should mean that the compositions’ goodness is held up equally high. In the finalizing song Spirits the guitar work sounds fulminant and leaves a lasting impression.
Summing up, a wide above average rating is the result, constituted through fierce guitar work and variable vocal performances and the accompanied joy in playing. GOLEM should omit the overly heroic sound during some parts I would have nothing to complain about then!