UMUR
"Evolution" is the 4th full-length studio album by Greek power/thrash metal act Memorain. The album was released through Maple Metal Records in August 2012. It´s the successor to "Reduced to Ashes" from 2006. Six years is a pretty long time between album releases, but almost the entire lineup who recorded "Reduced to Ashes (2006)" has been replaced on "Evolution". Only band founder and guitarist (occasional vocalist) Ilias Papadakis remains.
Both "Reduced to Ashes (2006)" and "Evolution" were recorded as studio projects though, so the many lineup changes are probably a consequence of that. Papadakis got Nick Menza (Megadeth) to play the drums on "Reduced to Ashes (2006)" and again on "Evolution", he has managed to pull in some pretty prolific names to play on the album in Gene Hoglan (Death, Dark Angel, Strapping Young Lad, Testament, Fear Factory) on drums, Steve DiGiorgio (Sadus, Death, Iced Earth) on bass, and Ralph Santolla (Obituary, Deicide, Sebastian Bach) on guitars. Canadian singer Chris Valagao (Zimmer´s Hole, Mechanism, West of Hell) delivers most of the vocals on the album. In addition to the mentioned main players, "Evolution" also features guest appearances by artists like Tim "Ripper" Owens (Judas Priest, Beyond Fear, Iced Earth, Charred Walls of the Damned), David Ellefson (Megadeth), and Jeff Waters (Annihilator). So it´s safe to say it´s more or less an all-star lineup...
...and that is audible throughout the album, which features quite brilliant musicianship. One of the things I was most excited about was hearing the rhythm section from "Individual Thought Patterns (1993)" by Death play together again, and as anticipated they both rip and tear. Stylistically the music is a US power/thrash metal hybrid with traditional heavy metal and some groove leanings. The material on the 12 track, 53:31 minutes long album are generally well written. It may not be the most original sounding or memorable in the long run music, but while it plays it´s quite catchy.
The sound production is slightly thin sounding, and could have prospered from a more bass heavy tone, but it´s not amaturish by any means. So overall "Evolution" is a relatively well written and well played power/thrash metal album, and fans of artists like early- to mid 90s Judas Priest and maybe Iced Earth could find listening enjoyment here. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.