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Carriage is a new entity hailing from the state of Virginia in the United States and arose when the singer and guitarist from thrash band Possessor wanted to explore a different style of music. What we get from the band’s debut album, Visions, is some creepy, occult-themed 80s metal very much in the vein of early Mercyful Fate with perhaps a bit of Savatage. The vocals are a mix of clear mid-range, low growls and high-pitched wails a la King Diamond, if not as accomplished and the music is a feast of twin-guitar melodies and tasty solos. The songwriting is mixed but the good stuff is really good like "Primal Ritual" which alternates faster, traditional playing and slower, moodier passages and "Deadly Corpse" which should have you singing along in no time. There are some clunkers like "Gypsy Woman" with its dull, repetitive chorus but for the most part Visions is a delightful trip back in time to when bands were starting to explore different elements to set their music apart. If you are getting saturated with retro black/thrash and NWOBHM wannabes, you have to check out Carriage.