Band:	Rage
Album:	Seasons Of The Black
Style:	Heavy metal
Release date:	July 2017

Disc I
01. Season Of The Black
02. Serpents In Disguise
03. Blackened Karma
04. Time Will Tell
05. Septic Bite
06. Walk Among The Dead
07. All We Know Is Not
08. The Tragedy Of Man - Gaia
09. The Tragedy Of Man - Justify
10. The Tragedy Of Man - Bloodshed In Paradise
11. The Tragedy Of Man - Farewell

Disc II [Limited Edition CD / LP / Digital bonus tracks]
01. Adoration
02. Southcross Union
03. Assorted By Satan
04. Faster Than Hell
05. Sword Made Of Steel
06. Down To The Bone

Huh? Didn't Rage release an album just last year? Good for you Peavy; shaking things up with a new line-up apparently got your creative juices flowing again.

Let's disregard everything after End Of All Days because 2016's The Devil Strikes Again, the first album with the new members, was advertised to be a comeback to the older sound of Rage. Some people liked the album, some didn't, I assume folks were just too used to Smolski's way of doing things; good, bad or indifferent I might add. I liked their new effort and I think this year's Seasons Of The Black might even surpass its predecessor.

Neoclassical atmospheric theatrical guitar sounds...well, I for one like Rage with their rough, gritty, dirty tried and true way of riffing. Some songs on the album, "Walk Among The Dead" in particular, could have been on 1995's Black In Mind. It seems that the new guys found their place within the band and the once lost harmony is restored.

While I don't want to dismiss Victor Smolski's accomplishments during his reign, Marcos brings the traditional riffs back to life and his solos, while not as plentiful, do assure the listener that Rage haven't lost their heaviness. Vassilios Mani?, too long of a name, in short Lucky, takes complete control over his kit and adds the rhythm to Peavy's bass thumping.

Mid-tempo groove laden songs such as "Septic Bite" don't take away from the heaviness of Seasons Of The Black; even though I thought the dinosaur roar at the end was a bit cheesy. "Time Will Tell" not only is one of the strongest tracks on the album, but also convinces with a perfect solo and very catchy chorus.

"Serpents In Disguise" will satisfy any Rage fan due to its familiar song structure and once again Marcos's solo gives the song the little extra, while the soft spoken words at the end fit perfectly.

"The Tragedy Of Man"; this opus is separated into four different parts. "Gaia" - a one minute long softly sung intro to the rather happy-go-lucky, peppered with great riffs and solo, "Justify", before continuing with, probably one of the toughest songs on the album, "Bloodshed In Paradise". Headbanging galore on this track for sure and it's also the darkest song on the album.

While "Farewell" is not only the closer, it is also the longest song on Seasons Of The Black. A kick ass ballad and fans of the early 2000 era of the band will sure like this one a lot.

Birds chirping at the end - "farewell my friend, good-bye" - indeed Peavy, indeed - farewell until the next album.