Fortunate to watch the development of Raptore through the progression of their discography in previous reviews for the debut album Rage n’ Fever and the follow-up Blackfire, it’s always great to hear what comes next through the fruits of their labor. Renaissance as the third album positions itself in an interesting amalgamation of styles – still traditional metal at heart, yet incorporating a mix of Sunset Strip sleaze, hard rock grooves / choruses, and a bit of speed / mystical charm that should resonate with followers of the 80s scene.
Specific chord progressions and attention to the small details from killer vocal melodies to fluid, catchy lead breaks gain immediate favor for fist waving action – most will be hard pressed to not sway their hips or sing valiantly to the main verse / chorus parts within “Satana” or high octane thrust within the Riot meets Warlock-esque “Imperium”. Drummer Angel Smokski and bassist Cristian Blade not only provide solid rhythm section foundational work in this material, but also offer a great selection of tasty fills or intricate angles that supplement the proceedings to advanced Iron Maiden / Judas Priest characteristics – most evident in the front half highlight “Abaddon”. Expect riffing and complementary lead passages from Nico Cattoni and Jamie Killhead that provides electric vitality for the ages – the smaller touches in clean ambient passages for the verses during “Darklight” setting the stage for Dokken-like mid-tempo riff payoffs that transport the listener back to those mid 80s heydays. Nico’s natural helium-oriented vocal register has similar qualities to Skull Fist or Enforcer – able to soar with the eagles yet be very playful in that Sunset Strip manner on the more commercial sounding “Kingdom Come”. The band continue the lean and mean time frame to their records – clocking in these nine tracks (one of which is a synth/organ style short intro “Ecclesia”) at a tidy 33:20 to ensure maximum entertainment value without risking ear fatigue.
The background information speaks of an ‘underdog metal’ classification when you take in Renaissance – the time period when artists like W.A.S.P., Warlock, Fifth Angel, Riot, Liege Lord and a host of others clawed their way up the ranks to respectable followings globally. Raptore has all those special qualities to be a force in the traditional meets speed metal category, mostly because they understand their strengths and eliminate most of the weaknesses to create a very engaging discography – of which this record could be their best to date.