Twelfth Gate
Summoning

October 2003
Released: 2003, Crash Music
Rating: 4.0/5
Reviewer: JP

The good people at Crash Music have sent us a number of new releases and I am going to do a little focus on five diverse releases on this up and coming label. Enjoy the reviews (Hedfirst, NDE, Throcult, Twelfth Gate, Unearthly) and don’t forget to check out our Crash Music Contest in our contest section. The answers to the trivia contest are found in these reviews so read all of them carefully and enter for your chance to win a CD from Crash!



Twelfth Gate is one of those bands that didn’t do it for me at first. I don’t know why. My initial feeling was the songs lacked variety and punch and I found myself getting …not bored…but my attention was drifting halfway through the disc each time. However, the more time it spent in my player, the more I heard what was going on with these guys.



The whole classification/defintion debate about ‘power metal’ rages on in metal bars and internet chatrooms but in my estimation, this metallic quartet truly define what is power metal. American Power Metal if you want to really qualify it.



Vocalist Scott Huffman sings in a mid to high range with conviction and emotion. He is not a screamer, growler and rarely hits the stratospheric highs of the Italians. There is no neo-classical feel on this disc, just straight ahead metal. The traditional influences are there, Maiden, Priest and so on but heavier and Scott Huffman reminds me of Tim Owens (Winter’s Bane era) minus the high screams.



I admire these guys because it is hard to do this style and do it convincingly because there is not really any particular focal point. This is not any key figure (shredder hero, a outrageous singer) a crazy image, (spikes, leather) no female vocalists, no keyboards… just a reliance on good songs and technically proficient playing. Twelfth Gate in my mind successfully occupy that rare space with bands like New Eden, Steel Prophet, Destiny’s End,…hell… just about any band on the Sentinel Steel label as a matter of fact! But they are in fact on Crash in a slightly odd signing as they tend to lean a bit towards heavier styles but I’m glad they signed these dudes.



They could use a bit more identity…the logo is dull, the cover art is plain, the packaging has lyrics and so on but seems sparse and uninspired. The production is good, nice mix good guitar tone, vocals sitting a bit farther back in the mix giving them a mildly ambient feel. They don’t hit you in the face but are omni-present sometimes taking a backseat to the guitar. The solo on Orpheus is a shredding classic, short but sweet! All the tunes have a good pace, mostly mid-tempo to faster stuff, good use, but not overuse of double-kicks.



There is quite a bit going on the songs and it will take a few listens to fully appreciate some of the dynamics, absorb the lyrics and get into the songs. Not all out shred or fury but just solid and in the pocket. Recommended for metal purists with the patience and ability to digest this solid slab o’ metal.

Twelfth Gate
Summoning

May 2003
Released: 2003, Crash Music
Rating: 3.5/5
Reviewer: Rick

Rising from the ashes of Chicago band Syris comes a new force on the US metal landscape. Twelfth Gate have emerged to fight the good fight in the battle to bring real metal back to the American masses. Former members of Syris Scott Huffman (vocals) and Rob Such (bass) joined forces with Rich Knight (guitars) and Mike Nevaril (drums) in 2000. The released their first demo in 2001 and on the strength of that release were opening shows by Flotsam and jetsam, Helstar and Steel Prophet. In fact, Twelfth Gates shares many similatrities with these bands. They have the thrash influence of Flotsam, a slight powermetal leaning ala Steel Prophet but the biggest similarity of to Helstar. Twelfth Gate have the same thrashy traditional metal sound that has been that hallmark of Helstar and James Rivera’s other outfit Destiny’s End. Huffman is a powerful presence behind the mic and really adds some character to this up and coming quartet.



SUMMONNING is 11 tracks of full bore metal played with conviction and dare I say it.. balls!!! “”Mortal Coil” opens the CD one of the thrashier tracks on the CD along with one of the best. With so many Cds on my desk to review I threw on a bunch and this was the song that grabbed me right away and made me want to hear more. “Orpheus” starts with a very subdued and atmospheric intro before it moves to a climactic conclusion that sounds almost Iron Maidenish. The sound the band creates is very loose and to their credit not overproduced. I always find it amazing that bands take perfect song and produce it to death taking all the character out of it. Twelfth Gate know that they have to sound good but the production is very loose and raw and perfect for the bands vision. The CD closes with the foreboding “Forgotten Names. This tale of torment closes out the CD with another touch of thrash inspired metal.



I didn’t know what to expect from this band as I had never heard any Syris before. There is a such a proliferation of bands with Gate in their name its hard to keep them all straight. This one that I am sure will rise above the others. Twelfth Gate are the raw descendents of such great bands as Helstar and Heathen. Their sound is a breath of refreshing air at a time when many bands are overproducing their product. I am sure that no matter how many gates out there the twelfth will always been the one to open.