Band:	Morbid Death
Album:	Unlocked
Style:	Heavy metal
Website:	http://www.facebook.com/morbiddeathband
Release date:	2004
A review by:	KwonVerge

01. Golden Light
02. Last Breath
03. Enough
04. Memories
05. Mr. Williams
06. Nothing
07. New Days
08. Time
09. Cryptic Circle Of Dignity
10. Insane

Well, this was the first time I listened to Morbid Death and "Unlocked" is their third and latest release up to date, after "Echoes Of Solitude" and "Secrets", so don't expect me to compare this album with the past of the band since I haven't heard something coming from their previous releases.

Melodic heavy metal is what Morbid Death are playing, with some thrash-oriented passages that make their sound more aggressive, as far as aggressive it can be, because melody is the factor that is more vivid in their overall sound. Also, what someone can easily notice is the fact that they tend to have a melancholic approach at times, through the heaviness of their sound, something that brings forth some mid-period Paradise Lost references, especially in the vocals that remind, at times, when they sound husky, of Nick Holmes, or sound like Daniel Brennare's (Lake Of Tears) vocals on "Headstones", it depends on the song. The, at times, melancholic approach of the band is being strengthened by the pessimistic lyrics that are being interpreted in a vivid and in a way passionate way by the singer.

The guitar work is really good and both the acoustic-seeming passages and the distorted heavier ones are well-put in the album, showing that the guitarists can offer some really wonderful melodic riffs. And of course I shouldn't forget the nice solos that make their appearance from time to time. The vocals move in Nick-Holmes-or-Daniel-Brennare-oriented soundscapes, but they don't tend to remain just there since they sound more aggressive at some times or have a kind of a more different approach at others. The rhythm section is dynamic or more accompanying, depending on the flow of the song, but the bass lines seem sometimes to be "vanishing" (the production is very good apart from that)?

All in all, the band's musicianship is really good and, also, their ideas are pretty good, but I think that their more powerful moments are not that inspired, they are not as good-sounding as their more melancholic ones that are really wonderful, with their melodies surrounding the listener in fragile ways. In my humble opinion they should concentrate more in their melancholic side that seems to have a lot to offer. My personal favorites from the album are "Time", "Cryptic Circle Of Dignity", "Enough" and "Memories".

A good album, generally, with some wonderful songs, but many that won't attract the listener as much as he would want to.