By: Tordah

Posted: Jul 5, 2006

I don't think I'm the only one who had high hopes for the new Persuader album. The band's two earlier albums did impress me greatly and I was eagerly awaiting what they would come up with next. "When Eden Burns" is the title of the new release and everything feels familiar when you start listening to the album. Jens Carlsson's vocals are amazing as always and the riffs sounds like typical Persuader stuff. Though there seems to be less aggression on this album and more mid-paced parts instead, something that doesn't always work that well unfortunately.
 
I don't know if my expectations were too high but "When Eden Burns" definitely feels like a disappointment. The riffs aren't as ass-kicking and aggressive as before and you get the feeling that you've heard them all before. Even though there are a handful of cool riffs here and there, it's a big letdown compared to the killer riffs found on "Evolution Purgatory" and also compared to the material on the Savage Circus debut album (a new band that Persuader members Jens Carlsson and Emil Norberg also play in). It's obvious that these guys have the talent to make killer music but it feels like they got lazy with this album. While Jens Carlsson still sound great as ever his vocals somewhat lack the same passion and aggression as before. 
 
The second major problem is the fact that the music is not catchy at all. After listening to the album several times the music still doesn't stick in my head. The band tries to be a bit more laid-back on some tracks and that's not what Persuader does best. Persuader at their best is fast and aggressive with a lot of energy and character. This album lacks the energy and character of the previous albums and that's a shame when you know what the band is capable of. The choruses are not memorable enough and neither are the melodies and that's two very important aspects for a power metal band. If you took the strongest track from "When Eden Burns" and put it on "Evolution Purgatory" it would probably be the weakest track on that album. That's how much the quality has dropped.
 
It's with a sad heart I face the fact that "When Eden Burns" is just a mediocre album. The generic melodies, bland choruses and overall average song-writing make this album one of the most disappointing ones for me this year. I'm a big fan of Persuader's first two albums and I had expected much more from them but this album doesn't even come close to touching them. Persuader needs to go back and listen to those albums again and see what made them so awesome and successful. New-comers to the band will probably like this album but long-time Persuader-fans should approach with caution.

Rating: 5/10

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