Intense

It only took one listen and I fell in love with this band from England. As Our Army Grows is the newest release from Progressive Metal band Intense. From the very first track “Anger of The Ancients” the listener is greeted with a well-produced, great-sounding record. With just under an hour of heavy, melodic, finely crafted songs, As Our Army Grows pays homage to those that came before them, the masters of the genre, (Iron Maiden, Saxon, Dream Theatre and the like) and is guaranteed to be a welcome addition to any Metal Head’s catalog.

I have been a fan of the British Metal scene my whole life and As Our Army Grows blew me away and ranks right up there with the best of them. Stellar songwriting and a huge production that remains crisp and clean throughout make this record a pleasure to listen to over and over again. Highlights and/or personal favorites of mine on this CD include the “Anger of the Ancients” and “Mirror Shroud” both of which are built around unbelievably catchy riffs that grab a hold of you by the throat and don’t let go until the very end. Other tracks worth mentioning are “Temptress” and “Fear Is Not Enough”.

The last three tracks of the CD are grouped off into a subtitle entitled “Chronicles of the New Flesh” (“Trojan Transmission”, “Strange New World,” and “Long Live The New Flesh”) and they flow together in a sort of storyboard. It is here that Intense really shines through showing that they are not afraid to step outside the box. Incorporating strings, classical guitar and piano the band showcases their diversity and their musical chops. Overall, As Our Army Grows is a fantastic record that has been placed into regular rotation on my CD player.  [ END ]

Track Listing:

01. Anger of the Ancients
02. Mirror Shroud
03. Our Last Hope
04. You Die Today
05. Insanity’s Call
06. Temptress
07. Fear is Not Enough
08. Trojan Transmission
09. Strange New World
10. Long Live the New Flesh

Run Time: 57:03