Released: 2007, Dockyard 1/Sound Pollution
Reviewer: Anders Sandvall
Curran Murphy (ex-Nevermore, ex-Annihilator) and crew are back with their brand-new album GOD BURNS LIKE FLESH. This is the follow-up to last year’s debut album called NEVER TO PLAY THE SERVANT - an album that I didn’t find too appealing. I thought the material in the previous album sounded like leftovers from Nevermore and Annihilator and that Shatter Messiah sounded like an ordinary cover band.
To a certain extent Murphy has gotten his act together, but not entirely. Singer Wagner tries to sound like Nevermore singer Warrel Dane and the material just isn’t that exciting. Shatter Messiah are great musicians who know how to throw sharp guitar riffs around, but I can’t shake the feeling that they still haven’t moved as far away from being a cover act as I had hoped.
This album is better than the previous one because of the slightly stronger material which sometimes feels like it could be original. But a majority of the time it feels like they have a huge identity crisis they play it safe instead of taking chances. It’s not a bad album, but it sounds still more or less like a carbon copy of Nevermore and Annihilator and it’s sad because I know they can do much better; they deserve more than to be a cover act.
Murphy and Shatter Messiah don’t manage to convince me this time either, but I’m sure the album is gonna sell just based on Murphy’s name. Instead of recommending this album I suggest you buy something by Nevermore if you want some proper heavy, rebellious anthems.