Reviewed: November, 2022
Released: 2022, GMR
Rating: 4/5
Reviewer: JP
Obsequious (Adjective) : Def: obedient or attentive to an excessive or servile degree. (aka the sheep)
Now that we have got that out of the way, we can discuss the risk of using lesser known words in your album title. In an interview many years ago, Thomas Youngblood of Kamelot said he regretted calling their third album SIEGE PERILOUS because it confused many fans. It is a hard call. Obsequious is a perfectly good word and why shouldn’t Tad Morose use it? The littlest thing can set a fan off, or even discourage someone from checking an album out so why would you want to risk that? However, if a fan shy’s alway from an album because of the title, maybe that aren’t that much of a fan to begin with? I know what the word means but even I did a double-take when I read the album title for the first time. If anything I’d be more concerned about the dull album cover. With a cool album title they could have picked a corresponding image!
Tad Morose is now a full four albums into their ‘comeback’ after a ten year break between their sixth and seventh albums and the (mostly) stable line-up is very productive with four albums in ten years! I am very grateful that they are enjoying a long career resurgence.
After a nice opening drum flourish we are off to the races at high speed of the title track. Oddly enough the song soon takes an abrupt turn into slower territory. I was expecting a fast song but it is a dynamic and interesting track.
The album fits in perfectly with what the band have been doing over the last decade; classic and pure Metal! A highlight is the crushing track ‘Pandemonium’ with Hemlin belting his heart out. It is followed with a slower, more introspective piece, called ‘Phantasm’. The slower tempo piece laced with some nice keyboard undertones is as close to a what you might call a ballad on the album.
The band has delivered another solid Metal album. Good solos, good vocals, good production values and enough little extras, such as the occasional acoustic guitar segment, all combine with great songs to make this stellar piece in the band’s long and impressive career.
Line Up:
Christer Andersson-Guitar
Peter Morén-Drums
Markus Albertson-Guitar
Tommi Karppanen-Bass
Ronny Hemlin-Vocals
Track Listing:
1. March of the Obsequious
2. Witches Dance
3. Pandemonium
4. Phantasm
5. Dying
6. Escape
7. A Trail of Sins
8. A Quilt of Shame
9. Legion
10. This Perfect Storm
tadmorose.se/
