STORY OF JADE “The Damned Next Door (Know Your Neighbors!)” /CD/

The debut full-length album by Italian Horror/Heavy/Thrash Metal band.
Story Of Jade plays a heavy form of Thrash Metal, with some references to more extreme variants of the genre that are present throughout the album. The horror and gore themes of the music is immediately obvious right from the start, with the whispered vocals at the beginning of "Self-Inflicted Masterpiece" giving a strong hint to the lyrical direction of the album. As the first riffs begin, you'll pleasantly surprised by the grooviness in the music. This could actually have the potential to be a kickass ride ahead.
Vocalist Bapho Matt alternates between an high-pitched bark, Death growls and clean vocals, displaying his wide range of vocal techniques. In particular, the clean singing would probably charm fans of Glam/Shock rock bands such as Alice Cooper or Wednesday 13, with his style sounding like a more gruff version of the aforementioned vocalists. Throw into that the old-school feel that the band has managed to conjure with the nice blend of Heavy Metal, Thrash Metal and Rock 'n' Roll inspired guitar riffs. Apart from that, these are often punctuated with melodic Death Metal riffing patterns and pinch harmonics like on Afterlife Confusion, making the music all the more catchy and easily gets listeners to headbang to the music, despite the mostly mid-paced tempo that the band tends to move at. Songs like "Afterlife Confusion" even have a slight Iron Maiden touch, with the lead guitar lines reminding listeners of their post-reunion material, and this only serves to make things more enjoyable. The solos of guitarists Matt and A.G. are technical yet manage to retain that melodic edge, blending in nicely to the foundations upon which the music of Story Of Jade are built upon. Songs like "C. F. Virus S01" also displays the innovative use of guitar effects, with the guitarists using artificial harmonics to create a ECG sound effect. The usage of a child singing towards the end of "J.A.D.E." also provides that adorable/haunting dichotomy, messing with the listener's head. There are also heavier moments on the album, such as those on "H.M.K.M.", which include Crossover/Thrash Metal-styled shouting at the background, ensuring that the element of fun is constantly remains in the music.
If one ever wondered what 80s-styled Glam or Shock Rock would sound like if put into a more Extreme mode, perhaps Story Of Jade's "The Damned Next Door" could be the perfect answer, with the heavy yet melodic music present, and the horror-themed lyrics!
Worm Hole Death, a division of Aural Music, 2011 (WHD012). Made in Italy. Pressed in Germany. First press.


Tracklist:
1. Self-Inflicted Masterpiece 4:02
2. Afterlife Confusion 3:34
3. Enemy In Me 4:42
4. H.M.K.M. 4:17
5. C.F. Virus S.0.1 3:37
6. Confessions Of A Headless Man 5:40
7. Bloodsuckers 4:28
8. J.A.D.E. 3:13
9. Lulladie 4:15
10. New World Inquisition (When You Hear The Sirens) 5:17
Total playing time: 43:05


Samples: http://www.last.fm