EP REVIEW

MENDEED
'AS WE RISE'
(Independent)

1. FALL TO ME
2. ABOVE THE ASHES
3.
LAID TO WASTE
4. BULLSHIT THEORY

MENDEED "As We Rise" EP

Length:  17:27 (min:secs)
Released:  October 2003.

mendeed_band@hotmail.com
www.mendeed.co.uk

Previous MENDEED Reviews:
KILLING SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL EP

 

[ BACK ]   [ MAIN ]

This is the second EP from Glasgow metal outfit Mendeed and it firmly follows on from their debut with four more slabs of excellence, this time having the accomplished assistance of Mark Daghorn on production duties.

Their sound is a crazy yet invigorating hybrid of old school nineties thrash and traditional British metal, flanked with loins of hardcore. Oh and there’s also just a shiver of death metal in there too. It’s like a cream soup of Testament and Exodus, with occasional flavours of Metallica, garnished with Iron Maiden and croutons of Stampin’ Ground - slurped by the ghost of Chuck Schuldiner. Okay, it sounds totally mad, but there is no doubt at all that it works.

Opening up like Machine Head playing Iron Maiden, “Fall To Me” offers a powerful and heady blast of metal that delivers a crushing heaviness as well as some incredibly enjoyable lead guitar runs, including a slick Jake E Lee style guitar solo that injects an incredible amount of vitality into the song. “Above The Ashes” batters away like a bastard from the outset and is very much old school thrash in the vain of Exodus or Anthrax played at ripping pace. The beautiful twin lead guitar harmonies are reminiscent of traditional metal and characteristic of Iron Maiden and are contrasted with chugging riffs and throat tearing - Pantera-esque - Phil Anselmo style vocals. “Laid To Waste” continues the intensity but also manages to include some great singing melodies into the chorus that really opens up the style and finally ”Bullshit Theory” kicks off at 100 mph with a full-on thrash routine interspersed with focusing moments of melody.

Again, Mendeed have created an excellent and classy EP that has so much energy and enthusiasm it makes very refreshing listening. They play as an exceptionally tight unit with solid and slick drum work fitting effortlessly into the driving seat of the songs and pulling into line the guitars and vocals. These blokes take traditional thrash and introduce it to 2003, where they make friends with hardcore and then bear their arses to Satan. Simply genius.

12345678910 - Rigsby  (28th November, 2003)
www.iwillbeheard.co.uk