RAISED FIST need no introduction. For the ones that mistakenly never heard of this act before, RAISED FIST is a Swedish hardcore punk band in the game since 1993. “From The North” is their sixth album set for release on January 2015.
With starter “Flow” the album prematurely defines its dynamite potential and spits venom at every opportunity. Mega riffs, lavish melodic passes accompanied by sing alongs of angst and hatred make “From The North” a perfect reason for following them in any live environment to experience the frenzy that RF are known for unleashing to crowds.
“Man Earth” continues later on as testimony of the continuous bouncy flow that not only connects this album from start to end but from first album to last. Thus, there is nothing ground-breaking one will discover here, except for the more mature sound plus all the good times they are delivering to their easily-gained fans.
RAISED FIST are on a level of their own and there seems to be no need for plans of evolving and testing new paths in their formula as “Santions” or “In Circles” implies. That’s arguably out of the case. Establishing an identity since the 90’s for overseas acts to follow decades later, they can easily be considered an act to be set apart from many of the rest struggling to find their innovative bits in sound.
In tracks like “Depression”, Swedish legends are constantly confident in composition and without pressured alterations in their musical style. In this way making a bold -against fashionable music- statement that staying true to your hardly established sound is way more thoughtful than disguising yourself every other year for the interest of fame and ephemeral Youtube counters.
With “From The North” they are looking into the mirror of self awareness and musically progressing themselves little by little. What they are not doing is finding the cheat-way of looking and sounding the same in that safe haven of scene bands tirelessly jumping from style to style every sixth month.
On a strictly personal note, the snare drum as well as the whole mastering on this album is an immense let down and it will reminisce of METALLICA’s “St. Anger”. Being an instrument on its own that is the heart that drives the whole band, especially with acts such as RF, the muffled speakers/headphones will prevail in your entire listening. RAISED FIST is all about pure energy and regardless if their sound on “From The North” was on purpose by the band itself, the mastering definitely deprives you of banging your head against more walls.
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