RESISTANCE – Lies In Black

This band was formed by four classmates during the high school years, driven by their common need to express musically their love for Heavy Metal. The quartet stayed active for some years until they decided that it was time to split up in order to explore different paths. The dawn of the new millennium saw the reunion of the band with renewed musical passion and with the addition of Paul Shigo’s brother, Tim, behind the microphone.

As the band states, Resistance was born to stand out against the NuMetal movement, which still is the most popular genre in the American music scene. The band’s reputation in the underground scene was built with slow and steady pace by performing live, supporting bands like Helloween, Exodus, Superjoint Ritual, and Prong, amongst others.

The band wasn’t disheartened by the fact that Tim had to step down due to health problems involving his vocal chords, and signed a record deal with Lion Music. Without wasting time, the band recruited vocalist Robby Hett and started recording the first Resistance album.

Resistance’s music can be described, in brief, as a combination of the aggressiveness of the Bay Area Thrash scene, and the melody of the European Power Metal scene. This release can be considered an EP, since it contains 6 songs and two intros with a total running time at about 28 minutes.

The album opener is an intro, featuring an excerpt of the “Star Sparkled Banner” that works as a remainder of the band’s ancestry and their intention to place the Heavy Metal banner in the highest position in the American music industry. The first song, entitled “War Paint,” is some kind of a flashback when bands like Flotsam and Jetsam or Heathen carved their way into the American Metal scene. Robby’s coarse voice fits into the music like a glove without lacking in melody or power. “Lies in Black” has a Testament feeling to it, with rough riffs and a headbanging guitar rhythm section. “Transgression” is a guitar instrumental played in a way that brings to mind the “vinyl” days with all the scratches and noise effects in the background. A classic Heavy Metal song is next, under the name “Wasted Time,” with a Mercyful Fate atmosphere to it, especially in the guitar work. Robby is proving his vocal skills by performing both the lower and higher notes with ease. The guitar leads in “The Darkness Inside Me” follow the sophisticated style of Victor Smolski (Rage), while the flawless sound production gives the bass guitar the sound it deserves. One step before the end is “Bridge to Nowhere,” combining melody and speed with the two guitars, performing in Iron Maiden-style. The album closes with “… Til Dust Return,” which is the fastest song on the album, demonstrating a touch of Pantera in the rhythm guitars.

The Resistance’s debut album is something more than promising, and for sure will not go unnoticed in Europe. What will happen in the American music scene, only time can tell…