REFUGE – Solitary Men [Japanese Edition +1] (2018)

REFUGE, the new band comprised of current and former Rage members Peavy Wagner, Manni Schmidt and Christos Efthimiadis, will release their debut album “Solitary Men” on June 8 via Frontiers Music Srl. This Japanese edition, with a bonus track, will appear tomorrow.

REFUGE marks the reunion of the original, and probably most successful, lineup of the German metal band Rage. After 1994, when the three originally parted ways, they moved on to work in different bands and follow their own musical path. Peavy kept on with Rage, Manni went to Grave Digger, and Christos off to Tri State Corner.
As you see, the musical pedigree of these guys is heavy metal, and Refuge / “Solitary Men” has abundance of it, but also melody and hard rock groove, and that’s why Frontiers signed them.

There is something of a melody, and a modernity about opener “Summer’s Winter” that suggests that although horns are up and proud, there is a modernity and a crunch that takes it apart from the current metal sounds.
“Bleeding From Inside” is the same type of metal-go-accessible that Megadeth do on their latter day albums. It packs more groove than Megadeth, and this is what makes the track so bouncy and likeable.

“From The Ashes” is heavier, almost, and power metal, but my goodness these boys can write a hook. There’s even one in the darkly brooding “Living On The Edge” which begins with ominous sounding doom licks before becoming something else altogether – all in the space of five glorious minute where 80s Black Sabbath comes to mind.

Then we have, alongside these heavy numbers, tracks like “The Man In The Ivory Tower”, and here is where Refuge really kills. This is hard rocker driven by catchy riffs, contagious verses, and tons of groove, some kind of a mix between Y&T and UFO. The chorus kills, and this track alone worth the disc.

“We Owe Life To Death” is another hard rock masterclass, a chug, life in the fast lane all at once and Peavy’s bass rumbles for all its worth on “Mind Over Matter” as this comfortably avoids the usual “deep cuts” lull.
“Let Me Go” is just another ridiculously catchy hard rocker with a melody recalling the glory days of packed stadiums and fun festivals. A favorite.

Call it like you want; the old alchemy, the old magic, the easy way that old friends can begin pick up where they left off where they left off – hell, you can even call it the fact that trio’s just make wonderful music if you want.
Whatever it is, “Solitary Men” is a stunning piece of work. Whisper it, if you like, but this might be the best thing these three have done together, whatever they are called.
The album is a mix of classic crunchy n’ groovy hard rock and traditional melodic metal, and if you don’t like it, then why you are reading this blog?
Highly Recommended

01. Summer’s Winter
02. The Man In The Ivory Tower
03. Bleeding From Inside
04. From The Ashes
05. Living On The Edge Of Time
06. We Owe A Life To Death
07. Mind Over Matter
08. Let Me Go
09. Hell Freeze Over
10. Waterfalls
11. Another Kind Of Madness
12. The Man In The Ivory Tower (Acoustic) (Japan Bonus Track)

Peavy Wagner – bass & vocals
Manni Schmidt – guitars
Christos Efthimiadis – drums

PRE ORDER:
www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/KICP-1911
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