Maximum Metal Rating Legend

Hysterica The Art of Metal Company: Black Lodge Records Release: 2012 Genre: Heavy Reviewer: ChaosLord

These ladies are capable of holding their own

Sweden's Hysterica is a fairly new band to this bangers' ears. When their soon to be released album "The Art of Metal" dropped into my lap, I wasn't sure what to expect. Little did I expect that I would be getting a gold nugget given to me as if provided by the metal gods themselves. Hysterica delivers a solid album and flies the banner for metal strong and proud.

The band is comprised of a quintet of females which I didn't realize until after I researched the band a little--femme fatales that aren't afraid to show that they can hold up against the boys with their musicianship and songwriting. Vocalist Anni De Vil is a marriage of Angela Gossow of Arch Enemy, Morgan Lander of Kittie and Cristina Scabbia of Lacuna Coil all wrapped into one. De Vil's vocals shine on tracks like "Hysterica", "Message" and "Fear of the Light". When she wants to growl, you can feel the ferocity coming through your speakers but then she can pull out the soulful, emotional vocals needed to suck you in.

Guitarist Bitchie knows how to handle an axe and craft a great headbanging riff. Looking for a face melter? She can provide that with polish and bravado that would make any guitarist proud. Hell'n (drums), Satanica (bass) and Marydeath (keys) bring up the back end and round out this fearsome force of five. Together they deliver a metal masterpiece with "The Art of Metal" and take that title to heart. The music on the album carries you through traditional, death, NWOBHM and power metal styles while adding their own brand of flair and style to make it truly their own.

The album's production is top notch and allows the listener to take in every element that each member brings to the table in a veritable aural assault. Pound for pound, track for track, this album is sure to be a hit with metal heads worldwide. All metal fans should definitely check this band and this album out when it is released in March. For this reviewer, this album is a dark horse candidate for Album of the Year. Hysterica shows that these ladies are capable of holding their own in a mostly male dominated scene and will chew up and spit out anyone who thinks otherwise.

So go out when this album is released and do yourself a favor by getting entrapped in "The Art of Metal"!