Out of the competent but very underground-oriented FDA Rekotz rooster, Deserted Fear probably had the biggest ‘mainstream’ potential – mainstream in an Amon Amarth kind of way, at least. Their third album, and debut for Century Media, highlights both their strong and weak points. After the symphonic intro worthy of a James Cameron flick, you’ll realise that they’re rooted in the classic sound of the 90s. But instead of focusing on one specific subgenre, they’ve wisely used a bit of everything, from the twirling, sour melodies of the early Gothenburg scene to the tightness of their Floridian colleagues with a pinch of Asphyx to boot, condensing all those influences in rather short and catchy tunes.
On the other hand, by chasing too many leads, they fail short of producing anything memorable and unique. The biggest thorn in their side, though, remains vocalist Manuel Glatter, as his cheap take on Martin van Drunen’s rasp doesn’t pay justice to their twin guitars’ much wider range.
