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PSYCHOTHERMIA
www.psychothermia.com
I am not going to waste time explaining the back story to Psychothermia as I already did that when reviewing their ‘Slash & Burn’ EP last year. I did say, though, that I would follow them with interest and am very grateful to the band and my webmaster for making sure that I have been sent a copy of their full length debut, ‘Fall To The Rising Sun’, so that I can do just that. This album kicks off exactly where the EP finished. In fact, four of its six tracks - ‘Anarchy’, ‘Crazy X’, ‘Slash & Burn’ and ‘The Fight’ - appear here as well. They have been added to by a further eight slabs of modern metal with a twisted edge which take Psychothermia’s uniqueness even further than was apparent before. Kicking off with the title track and its very strange guitar riff and sounds, immediately grabs your attention, as do the VERY Dee Snider sounding, but excellent, vocals of Johan Maldonado. By the time this song had finished I was trying desperately to scrape myself off the wall where I had been pummelled into oblivion, before the even stranger melodies of ‘Warbly’ hit the speakers. With power aplenty, but including a bridge section that could have been on a latter day Marillion album, proving that Psychothermia are a very intriguing listen and not an easy band to pigeonhole!

Disturbed, Alice In Chains, Soundgarden, Anthrax, Twisted Sister and Clawfinger are all bands that come to mind when listening to this but I’m not going to try and compare Psychothermia to anyone in particular because I really do think they have found their own fresh and exciting sound and, in this day and age, that is an extremely gratifying prospect. All four members (Maldonado is joined by guitarist Jon Russo, drummer Mike Russo and bassist Chenzo Vidalez) are excellent musicians, creating some fantastic soundscapes and rhythms as well as some great guitar solos. Lyrically too the band are very strong, dealing with some very personal experiences as well as the devastating effects of warfare. I will also add that for every copy of the album sold Psychothermia will donate another copy to the U.S. Armed Forces stationed overseas; such is their respect for these very brave men and women. Production is handled by the band themselves (apart from ‘Anarchy’ which is mixed by Fred Archambault of Avenged Sevenfold fame) and it is as clear as a bell. I also love the cover art which has an almost ‘Wickerman’ (the film) feel to it with the foreboding and menacing colours used somewhat capturing the essence of Psychothermia’s sound.

Put all of this together and you have something very special which makes it all the more criminal that Psychothermia are not signed to a label. Of course, I wouldn’t want their creativity stifled by a label’s demands, but it does make a mockery of the current industry that a band this good haven’t been picked up by somebody! As you might have noticed, I really love this band and I genuinely hope they get the breaks they deserve because I want to be able to say the same thing in ten years time!
LABEL:
FORMAT:
Self-released
Album
FALL TO THE RISING SUN
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Review by Rick Tilley
RUNNING TIME:
48:11
RELEASE DATE:
8th February 2013
TRACK LISTING
1) Fall to the Rising Sun
2) Warbly; 3) Slash & Burn
4) Anarchy
5) Don't Look Back
6) Here's to the Angels
7) Crazy X
8) The Wrath
9) Straight Faced
10) Orlando
11) Self Inflicted Wound
12) The Fight
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:
USA
"...modern metal with a twisted edge..."
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