‘Top 50 Albums Of 2013’ Countdown – #31: Satan – Life Sentence

By Andrew Bansal

Veterans of the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal movement Satan have been around since 1979 albeit in various incarnations, but hadn’t put out a studio album under the Satan name for more than 25 years. Finally, they rectified that earlier this year with the release of ‘Life Sentence’ via Listenable Records, the first Satan album since 1987’s ‘Suspended Sentence’. An apt title for an album that has breathed a new lease of life into the band, Life Sentence presents quintessential Satan playing a variety of NWOBHM that’s noticeably darker than most of their peers, both in terms of the music and lyrical content. Besides, the modern production values certainly help bring forth the full strength of each of these tunes. Starting with the up-tempo ‘Time To Die’ and going through eight blistering tunes before ending with the relatively somber ‘Another Universe’, this album treats lovers of the genre with guitar melodies galore that combine excellently with Brian Ross’ vocal delivery and the rhythm section of Graeme English on bass and Sean Taylor on drums.  When it comes to this sub-genre of heavy music, the veteran bands are still doing a better job than most of their younger generations, and Satan’s ‘Life Sentence’ album is further vindication of that statement. If you’re even remotely a fan of NWOBHM, Satan’s long-awaited newest offering has it all to satiate your needs.

Track Listing:
1. Time to Die
2. Twenty Twenty Five
3. Cenotaph
4. Siege Mentality
5. Incantations
6. Testimony
7. Tears of Blood
8. Life Sentence
9. Personal Demons
10. Another Universe

Duration: 44.7 minutes

Visit Satan on the web:
SatanMusic.com
facebook.com/OfficialSatanPage
twitter.com/SatanMusic_Com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKh-hC9iehc

The countdown so far …
#50. Nails – Abandon All Life
#49. American Sharks – Self-Titled
#48. Hatebreed – The Divinity Of Purpose
#47. Helen Money – Arriving Angels
#46. Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats – Mind Control
#45. Ihsahn – Das Seelenbrechen
#44. Church Of Misery – Thy Kingdom Scum
#43. Wolvserpent – Perigaea Antahkarana
#42 . Djinn And Miskatonic – Forever In The Realm
#41. Czar – No One Is Alone If No One Is Alive 
#40. Against The Grain – Surrounded By Snakes
#39. Nekrofilth – Devil’s Breath
#38. Kylesa – Ultraviolet
#37. The Devil’s Blood – III: Tabula Rasa or Death and the Seven Pillars
#36. Kadavar – Abra Kadavar
#35. Purson – The Circle And The Blue Door
#34. Carousel – Jeweler’s Daughter
#33. Kvelertak – Meir
#32. SpiralArms – Freedom
#31. Satan – Life Sentence 

Check out #30 here.

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