Band:	Rampage
Album:	The Arrival
Style:	Thrash metal
Release date:	2003
Guest review by:	Emalaith

01. Reagans Dream
02. Bloodline
03. Dirty Work
04. In The Name of...
05. The Drowning Man
06. Heaven

It is my great pleasure to introduce to you...Rampage! With "The Arrival", an EP that is closer to a short-length album, these 5 guys from Canada are proving that they are here to stay.

"The Arrival" begins with "Reagans Dream" and a pleasant punch in the stomach: an amazing Thrash intro that sets the tone for what's to come. This first song shows off the talent of all musicians: angry guitar riffs, a throbbing bass, and absolutely astounding drums. And of course, Patrick's voice, which is powerful and clear. Rampage's Thrash style is reminiscent of Nevermore, mixing melodic passages with pure power. The song is complex, with a fantastic guitar solo and several rhythm changes before going back to the verse, bridge, and chorus. "Reagans Dream" is the perfect way to start off and definitely one of the best songs on the album.

After the forceful opener, "Bloodline" takes us into Power Metal of the Tad Morose kind. On this song, Chris' drumming includes double bass passages, the guitars are both low-strung and piercing, and Patrick's voice is all over the place as he goes from low growls to intense screams. Stan's bass guitar has a great part in this song and there is a melodic passage with keyboards that is wonderfully developed, building up tension as the music goes back into the chorus. Very nice, indeed.

With the song "Dirty Work", Rampage take a little trip into the Nu Metal world with a sound that reminds me a bit of the Deftones. All the "Nu" elements are here, from the hypnotic guitar riffs in the intro and chorus, the varied drums, and the verses where the guitars are moved into the background and Patrick sings mostly over the bassline. Not a Nu Metal fan myself (except for the Deftones), I still enjoy this song for its diversity and because it gives the album a nice break.

"In the Name of?" has one of the coolest intros made up of bass and percussion I have ever heard. As the guitars set in, they pick up the bassline from the intro - very cool. Patrick is singing at his best on this song and the combination of music and his voice reminds me of Judas Priest. There are again lots of Thrash elements in this song as well as awesome guitar solos.

"The Drowning Man" begins like an Iron Maiden song and Rampage manage to maintain that Maiden-esque feeling throughout the track, with a very prominent bass, melancholic guitars, and a melodic chorus.

Finally, my favorite song on the album is "Heaven". Although it is probably also the "softest" song, it seems to be the most thoroughly developed track. The song begins with beautiful Spanish guitars, supported by a bassline and supplying the perfect foundation for Patrick's lyrics about mortality. This continues for about 2 minutes and just when you're sitting there, eyes half-closed and convinced the song will stay sweet and gentle, the drums and guitars kick in taking the song into a chorus that will stay in your head. Absolutely awesome.

Overall, Rampage sounds like no other band. They seem to borrow a bit from Thrash (Nevermore), Power (Tad Morose), and classic Heavy Metal (Iron Maiden and Judas Priest) and combine all these elements into their own unique Rampage sound. The most pleasant surprise on this album for me was the fact that none of their songs sound the same but that they made each one into a distinctive piece.

In summary, Rampage is not a flash-in-the-pan phenomenon but a skilled band that will attract loyal fans. These guys are experts on their instruments, every single one of them. The songwriting is solid, varied, and honest. Thus, it is very surprising to me that they have not been signed yet, but I have no doubt that this will come to pass in the near future. Do yourself a favor and get this album, these guys deserve to be heard. The EP is available on Rampage's website in the Merchandise section.

Good luck to Rampage!!!