On sliding this CD into my mac, I knew I was in for a burst of metal madness! Having played a show with Manichae, I kinda knew what to expect. Track one is the epic "Devil Within" 6 minutes of fuzzy, dirty wah-based guitars and Layne Staley type vocals. The only negative thing, besides the fact that the track felt a bit too long, is that the vocals are hard to hear unless you turn it up loud , however it is just a demo. It has a catchy chorus and with the Metallica style guitar solo, Manichae adapt their sound. "Close Your Eyes" is the next monster on this CD, with it's big picked bass intro which moves into more grinding guitar riffs and a catchy mid 8 hook with dark backing vocals. Again lead vocals need to be louder in the mix though. The problem with this song for me is the drums are a bit lack lust in the verse and it's only when you get to the chorus that the drums get the bashing they need for this style of music. On to track 3 then…..whats this?? Acoustic choral guitars?? Very interesting with the three part vocal harmony, steady drums and straight bass this song immediately grabs your attention. A mix of Alice In Chains meets Skid Row. There is a nice guitar solo in the mid section, it is a shame you cant hear it too well though. My advice would be to turn the mid down a bit guys! All in all, third track 'Brand New Sin' is my favorite on this CD. Manichae are very much a live band and certainly worth a look. CD wise, they could have a better recording.
Review by Zero
