Master of the Aire by Flametal
Reviewed by RonG

Bay Area progressive maestros Flametal return their latest album, titled "Master of the Aire." Fans of the prior release, "The Elder," will find many of the same pleasing sounds leaning towards a more traditional metal approach.

The songs on this album span a range from flamenco inspired metal to metal inspired flamenco. Castanets, claps, and classical guitar intermix with traditional thrash vocals, bass, electric guitar, and drums. While it is instinctive to theorize the band's approach as a prog-tinted gimmick, what you end up with in practice is an obvious admission of association between classical and metal music; hardly a secret to fans of the latter style.

As I listened to the album, two outstanding traits jumped out at me. One impressive feature is the technical use of structure to the songwriting. These songs are clearly compositions, not spontaneous jams. Even above this, the acoustical guitar work on this album is the star of any show. The skill displayed is truly extraordinary.

I also noted a couple of minor issues. The bass and drums are great but sound hidden in the mix at times. Also, the metal side of the equation is fairly formulaic, particularly the vocals and electric guitars. However, I'm guessing metal-heads who have been around since the birth of thrash won't complain one bit about these traits typical to the genre.

If you are a fan of classic thrash and progressive metal, be sure to drop by the band's MySpace page and give them a listen. Even better, check them out live when they have a show!

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