MADHOUSE was founded in 1987 by Carsten Krekow (Git/Vox) and Thomas Gamlien (Git) in Hamburg/Germany. After going through some auditions Lars Rothbarth (Bass) and Paul Slabiak (Drums) completed the Line-Up.
Back with a new record, the album starts off with Against Our Mind which is a groovy song that speeds up as it gets toward the chorus, showing off the skill and the swagger that the band has. Gates of Hell is fast, showing the chops of guitarists Krekow and Gamlien. Hellice is typical heavy metal 1980s style, with the big riffs, the even bigger vocal performance. Machinery is a fast, blitzkrieg of a song that carries everything through on a solid drum beat. Tormentors is fast, melodic, and thrashy a rare combination these days, and the perfect one for such a song.
Back In The Black is a heavy song, with a melody that would make Bach hum with pleasure. The guitars move in sync and the vocals match the tonality of the song. Demons of Insanity combines duelling guitars with the frantic processions of a man bent on achieving something or the other. A perfect vocal performance from Didi Schulz. One Way To Glory is a warrior’s song containing many things that would make Manowar proud, big vocal lines, soaring guitars and sweeping drum patterns. Title track on the record, Metal or Die is a furious rampage through the ages of heavy metal. Psycho God is fast, thrashy and a good song to close up the album.
Be sure to get this eclectic album when it is released on May 11th, via Pure Steel Records.