Skelator - Death to All Nations

Release Date: July 16, 2010
Label: Metal on Metal Records

TRACK LISTING

1.  Birth of Steel
2.  The Truth
3.  Victory (Henry V)
4.  Circle of Bloodshed
5.  Symphony of the Night
6.  For Death and Glory
7.  Stand Up (For Rock and Roll)
8.  Death to All Nations

Total playing time:  49:23

November 16, 2010

Reviewer: Peter

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*Comments:

Heavy metal these days seems to have gone back in the time machine in hopes of rediscovering the magic.  One band that has been working hard at this concept is Skelator.  Having been around since 1998, the band is just now being recognized with their official debut in Death to All Nations.  Skelator isn’t for everyone, which is just how the band likes it.

Death to All Nations begins with “Birth of Steel,” and right away, the vocals of Jason Conde-Houston stand out.  Not too high pitched, but it also sounds somewhat nasally, which could turn off some listeners.  Having said that, it doesn’t take away from the music, which holds its own.   However, holding its own isn’t necessarily good for the long run, as Skelator could afford to add a little more power to its sound just to assert itself, as “Victory (Henry V)” shows.  This is especially true because the vocals sound like it is using all of the power that it is capable of, given that the highest parts don’t quite reach as much as I would have liked.  “Circle of Bloodshed” is Skelator showing that there is some range, with an intro that is slower than usual that doubles in a sense that it develops the emotion necessary to capture the listener’s attention.  Also on the song are the group vocals, which actually work well with the main vocals and show a battle mentality that should be the band’s trademark.  The latter half of the album has songs that run no shorter than the six minute mark, which given the band’s sound, could test some listeners’ patience.  A prime example of this is “For Death and Glory,” which at 8:12, is the longest track.  It also poses some problems for those whose attention spans aren’t that great, and even for those who have good attention spans.  “Stand Up (For Rock and Roll)” is the band at their best, going with a simplified approach while subtly adding things to make it worthwhile. 

Overall, Death to All Nations is a decent album which shows that Skelator has some potential, yet also needs to do more to get to where they want to be in the music scene.  Yes, there are the basics, but for the band to truly take the next step forward, they have to try and go farther than what their capabilities allow.  Skelator isn’t bad, but playing safe doesn’t get a band far in the long term.