Released: 28/10/2004
Label: Roadrunner Records
Genre: Heavy Metal
Producer: Neil Kernon
Mixed by: Colin Richardson
My rating: 9/10
Links: Official Site Label Lyrics E-card Deadly Sinners mp3 Deadly Sinners video Swordmaster video Video interviews Stream concert Playlist:
1. Fear On The Bridge (Upon The Boiling Sea I), 03:14
2. Deadly Sinners, 04:30
3. Revenge Is A Vulture, 03:26
4. Dominion Of Deceit, 04:18
5. Premonition Of Pain, 04:35
6. Lord Of The Storm (Upon The Boiling Sea II), 05:05
7. Wykydtron, 03:52
8. Swordmaster, 04:24
9. Axes Of Evil, 04:28
10. Crazy Nights, 03:18
11. Destroy The Orcs, 02:21
12. The Phantom Of The Crimson Cloak, 03:11
13. Isle Of Eternal Despair (Upon The Boiling Sea III), 03:51
Total playing time: 50:41
Lineup on this record:
Clean Vocals - Cam Pipes (Ex-Allfather)
Screams - Jamie Hooper
Guitars - Sunny Dhak
Guitars - Bobby Froese
Bass - Brian Redman
Drums - Matt Wood (Goatsblood)
Current Lineup:
Clean Vocals - Cam Pipes (Ex-Allfather)
Screams - Jamie Hooper
Guitars - Justin Hagberg (Allfather)
Guitars - Shane Clark (The Almighty Punchdrunk)
Bass - Brian Redman
Drums - Alexei Rodriguez (Ex-Walls Of Jericho)
Review:
3IoB is a Canadian band, from Vancouver. The band was founded in year 2000, and consists of two guitarrists, a bassist, two singers and of course, a drummer. "Advance and Vanquish" is their second
full-length album, but their first album released on Roadrunner Records..Their first full length is called "Battlecry Under A Wintersun", and while it is a great record, this record is even better overall.
You should know that the guitarrists that were playing on this record and on "Battlecry Under A Wintersun" was Bob Froese and Sunny Dhak. But they left the band after this album was made, therefore Justin Hagberg and Shane Clark joined the band. The drummer on this album, called Matt Wood, left the band in the end of June, 2005, and was replaced by Alexei Rodriguez, as you can see.
Well, now that you got some facts lets get on to the review of "Advance and Vanquish";
This album is heavy fuckin' metal. Classic heavy metal as you know it (Iron Maiden, Accept, Running Wild, Judas Priest etc) mixed with some modern elements, not too many though, this is pretty old school. The most modern element is the 2nd singer Jamie Hooper, he's screaming and growling like a pissed off motherfucker in the hardcore/metalcore vein, while Cam Pipes, the main vocalist, is singing and screaming the falsetto way which brings to mind singers like Rob Halford of Judas Priest. His voice goes so high sometimes, that some might wonder if he really has any balls, but the music is all balls-out heavy fuckin' metal, so I don't doubt that he has balls.
The guitars are fast and galloping, very much in the Iron Maiden vein, with kickass solo's and double leads, but no wanking, just good guitar playing, and it works really well with the drums and mixed vocals.
Actually I think it is pretty brutal for a heavy metal album, because of the screams/growls, and the fast guitar and drum work. So even fans of heavier metal styles will be able to enjoy this record, I sure loved them from their first full-length album and I still do now, and at the time I "discovered" them I was a fan of heavier music, like death metal, but this fucking rocks so it'll get your head banging in fucking delight, no matter what kind of metal you normally enjoy, and you'll be throwing your fucking horns in the air without even thinking about it, if you are a real metalhead, that is ;-)
As far as the lyrical concept goes, we will be taken on a pirate journey with blasting cannons, stormy weather, treasures with gold and jewelry, called "Upon the Boiling Sea", and it's divided into 3 different songs.
We will be taken to the medieval times, when usurpers to the throne were killed, and their heads were put on a pike for all to see (Revenge Is A Vulture).
We will witness a king being killed by a tyrant who wants to take up the king's throne. The king didn't listen to the soothsayer's warnings, and therefore the price will be paid in his blood (Premonition Of Pain).
We will hear the legend about a master of the medieval sword, killing in cold blood. This almost brings you back to the times of Camelot
(Swordmaster).
We will learn about a king who is growing too old to lead his army, but the problem is there's news of war, so a young brave man travels out to find the Axes Of Evil, but he does not know that the Axes are cursed, so when he returns, he has been cursed. He's now evil and he is gonna slay his own people (Axes Of Evil).
Hey, it's the Wykydtron! RUUUUUN!.... Yes, believe it or not, there's actually a track called "Wykydtron", it goes on in the year 4055, where human kind has created a cyborg, and the point of the cyborg is to serve human kind, but it was also created with artificial intelligence for future wars. But suddenly the cyborg turns evil against mankind, it takes hold of the earth, seizes all power in the sky, and suddenly their creation has become the master of their own demise (Wykydtron).
We will be told the story of a man which family was killed by orcs..He takes the broadsword in his hand, and travels out to get his vengeance through bloodshed and decapitations. (Destroy The Orcs).
We'll be warned about a evil lurking in the night, killing all mortals in it's path. it's a killer waiting for the strike! (The Phantom Of The Crimson Cloak).
"Enemies of metal, your death is our reward!", yes, this song is a metal anthem! (Deadly Sinners)
This is only some of all the stories, and I've done no justice whatsoever to the real lyrics by shortening them down this much, because every song on this album is an really awesome story, and I really recommend you to listen to the songs and read the lyrics if you like the kind of themes I described.
The album was produced by Neil Kernon (Nevermore, Nile, Cannibal Corpse, Judas Priest,Deicide, among others), and mixed by Colin Richardson (Machine Head,Fear Factory,Napalm Death among others)
And the awesome cover was made by Ed Repka, who has made covers for artists such as Megadeth, Death, Atheist, Massacre, Possessed, Venom, Vio-Lence and others. Actually he created the "Vic Rattlehead" character that Megadeth uses on their covers.
The cover he made for "Advance and Vanquish" is really awesome, and if you like it, I'm sure you'll love the lyrics too. It may sound weird when I say this, but you'll understand what I mean if you have heard the music and read the lyrics.
I give it 9/10, because I really enjoy listening to it, it's so well done, and I like that you almost feel like a medieval swordmaster when listening to it. It really has a kind of atmosphere to it, that makes you as a listener feel like you're in the past. Of course there's some minor things some places I don't like, but, it's not anything that is big enough to make me feel it's necessary to give a less good grade than this..It's my favourite band.
I will recommend this album to all metalheads who have an open mind, and are a fan of classic metal . Then I'm sure that once you're listening you'll probably like at least some of it.
(Btw, I hope you cut me some slack, this is my first review I've ever written).
Sune Petersen©
3 Inches of Blood - Advance and Vanquish 
It's an album worth at least trying imo
Linear Mode
