TEMPLAR
Templar - Witch Hunt (Soundmass)
2007
1. "Witch Hunt"
(4:51)
2. "Misery" (3:27)
3. "Leper" (4:25)
4. "Cyclops" (3:09)
5. "Minstrel" (3:04)
6. "Wich Hunt" [Black Plague Mix] (4:41)
Templar are a side project of Australian nu-electro band Paradoxx. Frankly I've never heard Paradoxx, and from the description they don't sound like something I"d be into. Templar on the other hand are guitar-driven heavy metal/hard rock. On first listen, this one reminds me a bit of White Zombie, especially the heavy title track. I love the fuzzy Ez Gomér (Jet Circus) bass sound on the opening track as well as his unique vocals in the chorus. The female vocals in this track are quite good as well. This is actually my favorite track on the disc. Obviously the band knew it was the best track as well, since they named the CD after it and included two version of the song. "Misery" moves away from this sound and goes for a more modern sound that reminds me of Three Doors Down or to a lesser degree Green Day. "Leper" returns to the heavier, darker side mixing moaning female vocals, and digitally distorted male vocals. With this song, and the majority of this CD, the music will probably appeal to fans of more modern metal styles as opposed to traditional metal. "Cyclops" has an industrial metal feel, although it's an upbeat number and doesn't quite have the dark feel of "Witch Hunt" and "Leper". This song also has that ultra cool, distorted bass sound that was prominent in the title track. "Minstrel" is a short, acoustic-driven, gothic-tinged, melodic number with clean, male vocals. As a bonus, an additional mix of "Witch Hunt" is also included. The new mix adds a slight industrial feel to the song. Guest appearances on the CD are made by Ez Gomér (Jet Circus), Torbjörn Weinesjö (Veni Domine) and Jani Stefanovic (DivineFire).