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RIK PRIEM’S PRIME
Rik Priem’s Prime

Avenue Of Allies (2014)
Rating: 8/10

Rik Priem’s Prime is a surprisingly weighty affair from a new melodic rock band formed by Belgian guitarist Rik Priem (Frozen Rain).

Priem is joined in his band project by vocalist Carsten “Lizard” Schulz (Dead End Heroes, Domain, Frozen Rain, Lavalle, Evidence One, Midnite Club), bassist Vincent de Laat (Frozen Rain), drummer Rami Ali (Freedom Call, Iron Mask, Lavalle, Frontline, Evidence One) and keyboard player Geert Margodt.

The result of this coming together of highly talented musicians is a 13-track composition that rocks from beginning to end. After the brief opening that is the synth-drenched instrumental ‘Sunset Over Agartha’, featuring a yearning guitar solo, we’re pounded by what has to be one of the best metal tracks I’ve heard this year; the excellent ‘Babylon Rising’.

The track opens with a melodic chime before unexpectedly transforming into a thrashing chug which is injected by a throbbing synth. “Haven’t you heard about the new disease?” asks Schulz amidst an onslaught of raging, precise drums and that devilish riff lick. The metallic clunk leads to an ascending chorus which sets the stall out for the rest of the opus as the quintet mixes dark shades with lighter touches to create a splendid array of melodic, but above all metallic proposals.

‘The Future Is Now’ combines the epic nature of the aforementioned ‘Babylon Rising’ with further melodic strains as Schulz excels himself on that bombastic chorus over an avalanche of rip-roaring percussion and those thick guitars.

But it’s not just about that straight-up metal overload – although I’m certainly not complaining. As one would expect from such an assembly, every instrument is given room to manoeuvre, adding unimaginable levels of progressive rock onto this platter, the sort which some musicians could only dream of. Whether it’s the complex instrumental ‘Chameleon’ or the constant pattern shifts elsewhere which enables a free-flowing river of jazz fusion, blues and rock to entwine, one can only marvel at the complex textures on offer. The highlights are ‘Flirting With An Alien’ – with its choir-like chorus – and the gorgeous, almost fragile arrangements of ballad ‘Kneel Before The Pieces (Of A Broken Heart)’.

In fact, the versatility expressed on this platter never bewilders and certainly doesn’t give one a sense of over-indulgence, but instead the instruments marry together to create this vast, extravagant and above all, heavy motion of sound.

Carsten “Lizard” Schulz’s voice is rich and clear and drifts effortlessly over the tracks, with the likes of ‘Blindfolded’ and ‘Bloodrush’ breathing hard melody and showcasing the fantastic percussive talents of Rami Ali. But throughout, it’s just a record that mesmerises in its power, hinting at Michael Schenker and Axel Rudi Pell in its guitar mastery and heavy metal emotion, and all capped off with the brilliant album closer ‘Child Of Anger’.

Neil Arnold

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