After being saddened by the split of Finnish heavy metal band Machine Men, I was very excited to see the formation of a new band, Psychework, featuring two members of the aforementioned band – and The Dragon’s Year is their debut album.
It’s a bit of a here-and-there album; at times there are parts that really shine but then there’s also points where it feels a bit lacking. The sheer emotion in the performance from all of the band members is something to behold, and the passion dripping from the vocals is stunning, but unfortunately the songwriting is fairly predictable for the most part, with the songs structurally similar, so after a while the songs seem to merge into one.
There’s some great moments on the album – Tear Of The Phoenix features a nigh-on epic choral section in the middle of the track, and earlier inclusion Tide has a foot-tappingly brilliant drumline, but as a whole The Dragon’s Year just doesn’t stand out from the crowd.
It’s a shame because there’s a lot of potential to be heard in the album, but it is a little difficult to get excited about it when it’s not too adventurous. Still, it’s a good listen and a good starting point for the band.
6/10
