White Skull

Forever Fight

Written by: PP on 30/03/2009 19:12:39

Female vocalist? Check. Originating from Italy? Check. Categorized as heavy/power metal? Check. Generic keyboard melodies occasionally faded to the distant background? Check. Said to be based on epic themes and mythology? Check. That's basically how my list would look like if I were looking to form a band for the purpose of demonstrating the epitome of generic power/metal metal, a band that would offer absolutely nothing new to an oversaturated and stale genre, a band that'd bore to death anyone else than the hardcore German power metal fans of whom there seems to be legions of. Unfortunately for White Skull and their eight album "Forever Fight" (what, eighth, really?), that list is awfully closely aligned to how these guys (and a girl) sound like.

Marketed as a "powerful, up to date and broad sound" for some reason, the band are actually a direct opposite of that. Lets start with powerful. The instrumentation is generic power metal, you know the drill with huge soundscapes and colossal riffs and all that stuff. I don't really see how that's powerful, but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt. The female vocals may be more aggressive than usual, but a quick listen to someone like Angela Gossow will make Elisa "Over" De Palma's delivery sound tame and weak. Up to date? You can't be serious. Power metal in the form that White Skull presents it hasn't been relevant since 1991, and I feel like I'm being optimistic about the year. That leaves broad sound, but given how White Skull are about as generic as power metal gets, I don't really see how the term has anything to do with them or their album "Forever Fight". A quick comparison between these guys and Grave Digger--who they've actually supported in the past--will show an immense difference in quality. Where Grave Digger varies their style and plays it somewhat convincingly (or, a band like Rough Silk for that matter), White Skull is content in generic mediocrity and just churns out 'epic' song after song without leaving as much as a mark on the listener.

Negative ranting aside though, there are a few bright moments on the disc which save it from absolute disaster. Lead song "Escape" is one of them, even if the chorus sounds like it could've been written by a goth metal band. The title track "Forever Fight" is another; it's here that the pace picks up and some nice shredding is introduced to the mix, and the soundscape is kept nice and tight throughout the song. But ignoring the exceptions, overall "Forever Fight" is as boring as it is generic and typical release in a genre that seriously needs some new ideas.

5

Download: Forever Fight, Escape
For the fans of: Grave Digger, Covered Call, generic power metal
Listen: Myspace

Release date 27.03.2009
Dragonheart/Audioglobe/SPV

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