CHILDREN OF WRATH - No Flesh Spared
Children of Wrath is a one man army coming out of Phoenix, Arizona, and one of the first albums to be released on Mike Larson's startup label Nosral Recordings. Luke Dinan weaves his way through melodic death metal territory, mixing in a little black metal, some terrifying voices, and is accompanied by a virtual symphony and angelic choir, creating a surprisingly excellent debut. What works best for him is the juxtaposition of the brutality of the guitars and growled vocals with the beauty of the keys in the form of an angelic chorus. No Flesh Spared is some very mature work for this new artist. The style varies — not giving you all blastbeats, for example — as well as the vocal delivery, and the lyrics are scripturally grounded. It's hard to believe this is not a full band effort. Kudos to Children of Wrath and to Frost Like Ashes alum Mike Larson, who sure knows how to pick 'em. Well done. 4 out of 5 stars (Nosral Recordings)
