”Call Me Inhuman” is ASYLUM PYRE’s fifth full length studio album and is a perfect demonstration of a band that are on the rise and constantly refining and improving their sound. Led by the impressive power and tone of Ombeline Duprat voice, ASYLUM PYRE explores new horizons, both harder and softer than previous offerings, whilst still maintaining the wind of change that is currently influencing all that is Metal.
With ”Call Me Inhuman”, the band has created a perfect mix of Modern and Traditional Metal with a superior blend of power, melody and emotion. It sounds glossy, huge, with some very well placed electronics to update the vibe, but in its skeleton the classic melodic metal is there.
First track Virtual Guns opens and closes to the beautiful sound of a Norse Horn calling out from the fjords before bursting into life. It then blends other traditional folk elements such as bagpipes with modern heavy metal, along with delivering a fabulously catchy chorus.
The momentum continues with Fighters, an electro-Metal track, but with a potent modern streak and a nod to the old school days with a very sweet guitar solo. There is a lovely acoustic Spanish guitar opening to The True Crown (I seek your war) before we are gradually drawn into an emotional song that vocally flirts with both the dark and light side through harsh and clean passages.
The super cool Happy Deathday is a totally unique song where 1920s Parisian Jazz meets modern hard rock to create the like of which I have never heard before. Check it out!
There, I Could Die is the latest single to be released from the album and I can hear why: this is a fist-pumping, sing-along track which showcases everything that makes Asylum Pyre a standout band in the current Metal scene.
We find plenty of old school metal echoes in Sand Paths along with some wonderful choral vocal sections. The heavy riff and guitar playing are absolutely subline, this is Metal how it should be played. The Nowhere Dance was also released as a single, although in truth every single track on this superb album could equally stand alone. This is traditional Metal with a super catchy chorus that will have you hooked and joining in with the band.
A Teacher, a Scientist and a Diplomat sounds like the opening to a corny joke, but in this case it’s the title of a very modern and funky metal sound with a banging rhythm and a dash of attitude. Underneath Heartskin is a cracking song with a heady cocktail of acoustic, modern and traditional metal entwined around some very atmospheric vocals giving it a super depth in sound.
The Mad Fiddler burns as hot as Nero’s Rome with its smoking pace, full on rock vocals and glorious finger destroying guitar work. If I had to pick a favourite track, then this is it, but it’s a very tight race. Joy is a surprisingly heavy and dark song with an ultra-slow pace to begin with before eventually heating up a bit, although the message remains the same throughout.
Title song and closing track Call Me Inhuman is a feel-good curtain closer that is guaranteed to leave you baying for more. It is almost an a cappella tune with only the bagpipes, Norse horn and a minimal hint of percussion to accompany the outstanding male/female vocals.
”Call Me Inhuman” should and will add many more converts to Asylum Pyre’s fan base. This is a super slick, solid 12 track album with each song offering something that little bit different to keep the listener intrigued. Arrangements, performances and production are top notch.
Highly Recommended
1. Virtual Guns
2. Fighters
3. The True Crown (I seek Yor War)
4. Happy Deathday
5. There, I Could Die
6. Sand Paths
7. The Nowhere Dance
8. A Teacher, A Scientist & A Diplomat
9. Underneath Heartskin
10. The Mad Fiddler
11. Joy
12. Call Me Inhuman
Asylum Pyre – Call Me Inhuman 2023
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