Solitaire
Predatress

January 2009
Released: 2008, Ektro Records
Rating: 3.5/5
Reviewer: Luxi Lahtinen

On the Finnish speed metallers, Solitaire´s 4th full-length album, titled PREDATRESS, the band´s big-tittied mascot Sonyo has taken the form in flesh and blood for the first time, and she loves to shave balls... with a hand-operated circular saw.



Solitaire lost their longtime vocalist Mika in December 2006, leaving the band as a 4-piece. I personally had a relatively skeptical time in believing how they would survive without Mika´s input for Solitaire´s sound, as his distinctive vocals were actually a big part of the band´s sound.



Well, seems like they did at last because PREDATRESS - with its 11 new Solitaire songs on it, have still maintained the same certain sound and vibe they have always carried through their material since day one, owing fair doses to such greats of speed metal as Agent Steel, Exciter, Iron Angel, etc. - yet melding their own thing with sort of a ´tongue-in-cheek´ mentality, which gives them this certain Solitaire charm.



Riku, who has now taken Mika´s place in the Solitaire troops as a vocalist, does a somewhat decent job on this record. Granted, it´s hard to replace Mika´s somewhat unique style of vocals when he was providing such a big part of Solitaire´s brand of sounds, but I still think Riku has still pulled off his own, a bit ´Germanic´ style of vocals well in for these new Solitaire tracks. The music has remained typical Solitaire, sounding fast-paced all the time - like a true, ever-burning speed metal´s blitzkrieg. There´s not a single moment on this record when the guys drop their weapons. When their speed metal slaughtering starts, it only stops after the last track - titled "From Hell to Horizon", has come to an end.



Solitaire offer nothing new on PREDATRESS, but still succeed in unleashing some catchy sounding speed metal havoc the same familiar way that we have used to hear from them on their earlier releases. If that´s enough for you, then by all means get PREDATRESS, and prepare to get your balls saved totally by their lovely mascot Sonyo. ;o)