REVIEW: MANIPULATED SLAVES - THE LEGENDARY BLACK JADE

 

MANIPULATED SLAVES - THE LEGENDARY BLACK JADE (Worldchaos Production, 2001):

Technical data:

Produced by Bat and Tery

Guest musicians: Johan Liiva (ex-Arch Enemy), Yuko (Fatima Hill)- vocals, Saeko (ex-Fairy Mirror)-vocals, Maya (Threat) - violins

Track List: 1- Thrust Sword into the Earth, 2- The Way of the Emperor, 3- Woman in the Iron Mask, 4- The Broken Chain, 5- Eyes Filled With Tears, 6- Man From the Horizon, 7- Capital Punishment, 8- Assault on the Enemy, 9- Bearing the Final Pain.

What a great surprise !! From Japan comes Manipulated Slaves and this is their second album. His style can be defined as melodic death/thrash metal and they do it really well!!. Specially I liked the "melodic" aspect which is centered in melancholic and epic melodies (as you can listen in the first track) done by guitars, while there are some excelent female vocals that do a great contrapósition with the more aggressive vocals. Good combination of aggressive music (check the mentioned vocals and the drumming which has an excelent sound) and melody ( great guitar solos, female vocals, violins, twin guitars). It is an excellent fusion between death metal and classical heavy metal (if you don´t believe this check the guitars on "Woman in the iron Mask" (4:10)...I think they wouldn´t be out of place in Iron Maiden). Favorite tracks: "The Way of the Emperor", "The Broken Chain" and "Assault on the Enemy". Contact: worldkdm@syd.odn.ne.jp