With their fifth album, Germany’s Fear My Thoughts have now evolved in to a full on modern melodic death metal act, and a good one at that. And while Hell, Sweet, Hell was a glossy but flawed transitional album, Vulcanus sees the band deliver an improved effort that should elevate the band into elite status.

The bands gradual shift from experimental metalcore (VITRIOL), to more commercialized metalcore (The Great Collapse) to this now well oiled melodic death metal outfit, has been a transition I’ve enjoyed with restrained enthusiasm, as the band have essentially thrown their lot in with a genre that’s simply brimming with loads of similar bands. However, Vulcanus with its stern German delivery, strong songs, solos, a scattering of synths and clean vocals, Fear My Thoughts have basically stated their intentions and relied on their talents to be judged in a crowded genre.

Vulcanus starts off strong with the galloping catchiness of “Accompanied By Death” and “Blackness”, the steady, epic gait of “Culture Of Fear” and rollicking “Accelerate or Die”. The rest of the album, armed with Jacob Hansen’s stellar production pretty much follows suit with another 8 tracks of polished melodic death metal. The thing is, if you’re sick of slick sounding, slightly formulaic melodic death metal, you might be done after the first 4 tracks. The tracks cover the expected mix of high octane thrashers (“Survival Scars”, “Both Blood”) slower tempos (“Stamp of Credence”), and slightly commercial lean (“Gates to Nowhere”, “Wasteland”) and even an instrumental number (“Vulcanus”), but despite their high quality, you can’t shake the feeling the later part of the album is simply reworking the first four tracks.

However, Despite the ‘new In Flames’ smell of the record, Fear My Thoughts show themselves to be band incredibly comfortable in their sound and a band capable of delivering the genre’s elements with a ‘core’ free confidence and skill that should see continued success.

[Visit the band's website]

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