Shadow Tribe – Reality Unveiled

Shadow Tribe

‘Reality Unveiled’

Pride & Joy Music

Melodic Heavy Metal

FFO: Sonata Arctica, Stratovarius, Altaria, Stargazery, Celesty, Spiritus Mortis, Masquerage

When it comes to hard working Finnish musicians Kimmo Perämäki and Marko Pukkila are up there and between them, they tirelessly gained acclaim with the likes of Altaria, Stargazery, Celesty, Spiritus Mortis and Masquerage. If writing, producing and touring with these bands wasn’t enough then the pair have been working on their latest project Shadow Tribe with their debut album ‘Reality Unveiled’ incoming.

                Finland is a country where the heavy metal runs through its rivers as clear as the ice-cold water and therefore, with ‘Reality Unveiled’ there is a very distinct Finnish sound to it. This means that melodies are key, as driving harmonised guitar riffs sit as comfortably here as any Iron Maiden record above a solid rhythm section. Yet, it is the vocals which make this album so enjoyable as Perämäki delivers an excellent performance coupled with a memorable phrasing that makes tracks such as ‘Instant Heaven’, ‘Headstrong’ and ‘A World Taken Hostage’ ooze with an underlying appreciation for fellow Finns Sonata Arctica and Stratovarius. This is all wrapped up in a sleek production that makes ‘Reality Unveiled’ extremely accessible to any melodic heavy metal fan with the only criticism being that the vocals are a little overbearing in the mix.

                 ‘Reality Unveiled’ is a strong debut album that threatens to push Shadow Tribe to the forefront of European melodic heavy metal and fans of this genre would do well to check it out.