Positive heavy metal.
Say those words and you might think of bands like Skillet, who use their faith to uplift. With the greatest will in the world, you probably wouldn’t think of Rage.
For over 40 years, Peavy Wagner and his ever-revolving crew have delivered some of the finest metal around. But even he reckons the dystopia that creeps into their music isn’t the message he wants to leave behind.
Enter “A New World Rising”.
“Think independently! And don’t believe everything you’re told!” Peavy says of its theme, and that’s the mindset running through this record.
The irony is that the opener “Innovation” sounds exactly like Rage always have – which is to say, brilliant. Riffs crush, solos slash, it gallops with energy, but it still feels modern. Likewise, “Against The Machine” keeps that momentum, the drums pummelling while Peavy Rages (see what we did there?).
On “Freedom” the scale of it all hits home, before a twin-guitar attack that could make Maiden blush. If “We’ll Find A Way” doesn’t get fists flying skywards, then you probably don’t have fists.
They are unashamedly heavy metal, and “Cross The Line” proves just how good they are at it. Elsewhere, a Latin flourish creeps into “Next Generation” as the band search for hope in the darkness.
“Fire In Your Eyes” slows the pace but not the quality, showing that when Rage lean into melody they still leave most of their peers trailing. “I see a new horizon,” they sing on “Leave Behind” – and even when the acoustics briefly appear, Rage never sound like they’re selling out.
They can groove, too – “Paradigm Change” boasts a monster riff most bands would kill for. Things turn darker on “Fear Out Of Time,” lurking until a burst of guitars drags it into the light. By contrast, “Beyond The Shield Of Misery” is shorter, sharper, and more direct.
There’s even a reworked version of “Straight To Hell.” It’s fascinating to hear the latest incarnation of Rage reinterpret their past – essentially Pantera playing the blues.
The name Rage has always been a stamp of quality, and “A New World Rising” is no different. After four decades, they’re still proving why they matter. And you can be positive about that.
Rating: 9/10
