antiMusic.com: Amulet - The First Review

Amulet - The First
by Matt Hensch

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There is a brand of healthy adoration within "The First" that is often unfulfilled. Amulet is genuinely influenced by NWOBHM, a classic brand of heavy metal whose influence has, unfortunately, dwindled down to a trickle compared to the Slayer tribute bands and Machine Head clones running amok. The olden elements are potent and felt powerfully throughout these dazzling little slabs of heavy metal magic, though to imply the dudes of Amulet are merely mimicking bands they enjoy would be preposterous. There are more than enough rocking riffs and nifty themes lingering in the horror/occult-themed atmosphere to boost "The First" beyond a rudimentary imitating of Angel Witch or Holocaust. It's not out of question to find a nod to Mercyful Fate or Di'Anno-era Maiden, too.

Amulet's style is up-tempo and lethal, an act of sifting around the ashes of a charred rock corpse for a shadowy brand of classic heavy metal. The songs are generally quick, straightforward bits of handfuls of cool riffs revolving around memorable choruses and stellar lead guitar work-many of the thirteen chapters hardly break the four-minute mark. The sequences and melodies are used to their effectiveness and then dropped, not milked beyond their worth just to run up the clock or appeal to some diluted idea of innovation. Swift anthems heavy on the goods honor the old-school aggression of Maiden's bygone era and classic NWOBHM acts without coming off as dull tributes. Vocalist Jamie Elton, though possessing a British twang, appears somewhat atypical. I get a vibe of hard rock in his drawl, but I drink a lot, so keep that in mind.

The highlights of "The First" focus on the album's thematic elements of horror and occultism, which greatly deepen Amulet's atmospheric components. Stout riffs bud in once in a while that sound mugged from Michael Denner's crypt of old Mercyful Fate demos, whereas the lyrical darkness and driving grooves of "The Sacrifice" or "Heathen Castle" bring out a semblance of old-school terror. I love "The Flight," a keyboard-based interlude that conjures a vibe of 80s horror, and a perfect reflection of Amulet's conceptual front. Certainly "The First" excels wonderfully in capturing its desired intentions. Thirteen tunes in all and not one of them manages to screw up Amulet's style and consistency. A nice treat for fans of NWOBHM who want more than mindless nostalgia and a crap-free record worthy of its heavy metal goodness.

Amulet - The First
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