THE FATAL PURSUIT – Sinful

Debut albums can often make or break a band. An act will typically never have a better opportunity to establish their musical direction and overall sound than they will on their first album.  Canadian Hard Rock / Classic Metal band The Fatal Pursuit seem to be starting off on the right foot with Sinful. This 8 track debut offering, although not the greatest in terms of technique or sonic production, contains an enthusiastic mix of well thought-out and genuinely inspired songs.

With a mix of styles ranging from 80s rock to 90s alternative and beyond, The Fatal Pursuit’s sound is reminiscent of Kissin’ Dynamite after a hard night of drinking. Thick and smokey vocal layers are piled upon the rawest of guitar riffs with this brash and rebellious mix firmly cemented to the floor with an organic, yet reliable, percussion performance.

Progressive leanings are to be found in abundance on tracks like “In Time” and “Overflow”, while there are obvious Metalcore influences at work on “Cold Steel Tracks” and “The Rust”. While it’s tempting and cliché to accuse this Canadian band of following the tail of their fellow statesmen Rush, the elements to be found here are much more along the lines of Fates Warning or even something heavier like Coroner. Overall, the release is an eclectic and rare blend of heavy material, without ever quite reaching into Modern Metal territory. This most likely will work in The Fatal Pursuit’s favor, as it puts them in a much more accessible position while not alienating fans of the heavier styles. The Fatal Pursuit may intend on heading in a heavier direction, but until they dial in what would be considered a more Metal sounding production, they will be firmly stationed in the Hard Rock folder. Certainly, there is room for improvement here on the production and even some of the performances but the passion for the art and the genuine honesty found within the songs more than makes up for Sinful’s technical shortcomings.