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Review: Wyvern - The Red Flame of Pain
Wyvern
www.truemetal.org/wyvern
The Red Flame of Pain

Label: Jolly Roger Records
Year released: 2010
Originally released in: 1990
Duration: 41:37
Tracks: 7
Genre: Heavy Metal

Rating: 2.5/5

Review online: July 2, 2010
Reviewed by: Sargon the Terrible
Readers Rating
for:
The Red Flame of Pain

Rated 3.71/5 (74.29%) (7 Votes)
Review

This is a re-release of Wyvern's debut album from 1990. This is a band that never really broke. They released this album in 1990 with no fanfare, and managed only a few demos before fading into obscurity. They are supposedly an active band again, but since their most recent output was a demo compilation eight years ago, I wouldn't hold my breath.

Anyway, this is exactly the kind of thing I would have expected from a 1990 album, and this is generally similar to later Cloven Hoof or Stormwitch albums. The music is strongly in the NWOBHM vein, with galloping riffs and clean vocals. Some of the riffs here are really quite good, and while singer Fabio Bonaccorsi is not great, he gets the job done. If there is a problem here, it's that the songwriting is unfocused and dated-sounding, and there's no way around that. There is a difference between something that sounds 'vintage' or 'retro' and something that just sounds dated. It can be one of those know-it-when-you-hear-it things, but it is there. Wyvern mostly just sound outdated and awkward, and so despite some exciting moments, they are balanced by sad attempts at ballads like "It's a Waste of Time" which is a totally descriptive title, and the closing abomination "Adolescent Sex", with lyrics that are seemingly an ode to raping little children, though the band state that they "strongly condemn the pedophilia." You can skip this one, you won't be missing anything you can't do without.

Other related information on the site
Review: Lords of Winter (reviewed by Sargon the Terrible)
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