INTENSE – Songs Of A Broken Future

British Power metal band INTENSE keeps the spirit of the NWOBHM alive  with their new release Songs Of A Broken Future. From dueling harmony guitars to the galloping metal drum beats, Intense has put out an album that should satisfy their fans and turn a few heads along the way. Fans of the band have waited 9 long years for a new release, and this album is sure not to disappoint.

Sublime Guitars

The album kicks off with a rather gothic orchestral into piece called “The Oncoming Storm” which builds to a crescendo leading straight into “End of Days” which hits you square in the face with killer guitars and a great driving rhythm. The guitar tones are sublime, reminding one immediately of the glory days of Iron Maiden. All in all, a great opener for the album.

Heads Above

“Head Above Water” continues with the dueling guitar themes and anthem styled vocals. The production is well done, and the songs grow on you the more you hear them. The band is very tight, and brings us great Heavy Metal on every track. The standouts for this reviewer on the album are “I Agonize” and “The Social Elite”, along with the title track “Songs of a Broken Future”.

Final Notes

INTENSE offers us a great example of what British Metal should be. While the vocals of Sean Hetherington may not be for everyone, he delivers a solid performance along side his bandmates to create a well crafted album. Overall, fans of precision dueling guitars and 80s British metal will find some real treasures on this record.

Tracklist

1. The Oncoming Storm
2. End Of Days
3. Head Above Water
4. Final Cry
5. I Agonize
6. Songs Of A Broken Future
7. The Social Elite
8. The Jesters Smile
9. The Tragedy Of Life
10. Until The Memories Fade
11. Stand Or Fall
12. Children Of Tomorrow

Total Playing Time: 59:52 min

Lineup

Sean Hetherington – vocals
Nick Palmer – guitars
Dave Peak – guitars
Stephen Brine – bass
Neil Ablard – drums