Richard HolmesOnce Human – The Life I Remember (earMUSIC)
Genre: Extreme Metal
It’s staggering to think that Logan Mader, guitarist with Machine Head from 1991 to 1998, has been away from the world’s stages for 12 years. Ok, his job as a much sought-after producer has kept him rather busy – but it has taken Once Human, which he formed with vocalist Lauren Hart – to get him treading the boards once again.
Inhabiting a similar musical landscape to Arch Enemy (Hart’s vocals are reminiscent of Angela Gossow’s rasp, there are orchestral embellishments too) and boasting Mader’s incendiary axework, the quartet lay down quite a marker with You Cunt, a catchy, punchy smack in the chops, and the Fear Factory-esque strains of Terminal.
It’s true that The Life I Remember takes time to sink in, but once it does, you can see why Mader and Hart teamed up, as they fuse Swedish melodeath, US groove and symphonic elements into a state-of-the-art metal assault.
There’s certainly a huge audience for this kind of music and you wouldn’t bet against Once Human capturing a swathe of it.
And while this is not the most original album you’ll hear this year, it nevertheless represents a welcome return to the frontline for Mader – which is something to celebrate.
RUSHONROCK RATED: 7/10 Logan’s Run