KINRICK Press reviews
Maximum Metal Review
Kinrick - Sense Your Darkness - 2005 - Leviathan Records
Those of you looking for those "super group" albums, those stellar all-star events where everyone is a big time player, look no further than Leviathan Records' very own Kinrick. The band's name itself is a perfect example of the type of talent and metal passion existing in this project, with famed guitarist Corbin King making up the first half and amazing vocalist Stephen Fredrick making up the last half, thus we have Kinrick. Those of you unaware of Corbin King, he has laid down some massive chops with his band Vainglory, who managed to release one killer release with "2050". King has often been described as one of the most talented young guitarists to come up on the scene in a long time. In someway he is looked at in the same light as Greece's very own string ace Gus G. Which brings me to former Gus G. band mate Stephen Fredrick, who cut his teeth with neo-classical act Kenziner before stepping in to sing on the first two Firewind releases. His powerful pipes fit well in the Firewind camp, backed by Gus G's monstrous grooves and catchy hooks. As if those franchise players aren't enough, add in drummer Stian Kristoffersen, who played on the last two Firewind albums, as well as bassist James Martin, who has put his bumblebee bass signature on Zanister's "Fear No Man" record. AND if that doesn't get you near a online shop soon, neo-classical guitar legend David Chastain has written, produced, mixed, and mastered "Sense Your Darkness", putting his icon touch and blessing on this top shelf brand of classic heavy metal.
"Sense Your Darkness" is hands down one of my favorite albums to be released in this already competitive early 2005. With new releases from the likes of Judas Priest, Bruce Dickinson, and Overkill, Kinrick holds its own, really going miles beyond the new Priest and delivering a true metal affair, one that doesn't compromise the integrity of heavy metal fans. This is just an uncontested heavyweight with the talent and drive to go to the top, Kinrick leading the way for so many young metal hopefuls plugging in and turning up. In many ways Kinrick really harkens back to the classic metal days, not going into the New Wave camp so much, instead focusing maybe on mid-80s styling. American metal acts such as Malice, Warrior, Vicious Rumors, and even a less high strung Omen come to mind when playing "Sense Your Darkness". Obviously with songs penned by the talented David Chastain, Chastain records like "Ruler Of The Wasteland" and "Voice Of The Cult" are going to come to mind. Chastain just has that unique writing style, that man versus THE MAN type of themes running rampant through his written battle cries. The writing is a bit aggressive and even comes across as a bit angry, but the band manages to harness the anger, controlling it and riding it through the firestorm.
Really in all honesty, there are no faults here. No errors, no misses, just completely solid from one to ten. Corbin King plays the vengeful guitar god perfectly, playing some well timed straight forward riffs, at times bordering on Tony Iommi's doomy style, but for the most part just delivering mid-tempo grooves with some exceptional lead playing. I mentioned earlier that vocalist Stephen Fredrick fit well in Firewind with Gus G. laying down the chops behind him. That turns out to be the same sort of pattern here, Fredrick just burning it up with his strong, aggressive voice, allowing King plenty of time to deliver that "wall of sound" between verses. I have a hard time comparing Stephen Fredrick to anyone in the metal world, he doesn't have a high register, nor does he come across as low and raspy. His delivery is crystal clear, mid-tempo, and just absolutely addictive with a wicked, almost sinister tone.
If metal still had singles, "I Fight Alone" would get my vote as best cut of the year. This is just a stirring, emotional call to arms. Really one of those "stand up and shout" type of foot stompers, a strong, effective track that really moves and sways as Fredrick rides into battle. About mid-way through King just explodes into a lead frenzy before slowing down to a titanic groove. Most cuts are on the move rather quickly, shaking through American pastures with strong metallic anthems like "Call Of Honor", "Stand Up And Fight", and the blue-collar tribute of "Make Me A Man". The songwriting is extremely interesting to me, with many "resistance" themes at play, evident on "I Fight Alone", "Call Of Honor", and "The Empire Falls Again". I can't pinpoint the message behind "For Your Evil", but I assume it is directed at US president George W. Bush. Some strong Sabbath style cuts are certainly present here as well, going into the doom with "Through The Void" as well as title track "Sense Your Darkness". Favorites for me are "Call Of Honor", "I Fight Alone", "Stand Up And Fight", and "Against The Empire".
This is just an amazing addition to the fantastic Leviathan Records roster. I hope and pray that Kinrick isn't going to be a one off effort, with this much talent on board let's hope that the guys return again to create many more albums like this. This one will be hard to follow-up, but I have tremendous faith in these metal superstars. I'm sure many of them will be busy with their individual priorities, but at some point Kinrick will have to become a priority in itself. This stuff is just to damn good! Highly recommended for those of you looking for some real "meat and potatoes" metal. This one holds nothing back.
Note - "Sense Your Darkness" has a different album cover for the Euro pressing through Majestic Rock.
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KINRICK
Sense Your Darkness
Majestic Rock
Hard and Heavy, like metal should be!
A band handpicked by metal guitar hero David T. Chastain, who not only produced this album but wrote all the material as well. Kinrick feature vocalist Stephen Fredrick, best-known for his work with Firewind and Kenziner, and also having fronted Billy The Kid in the mid-80s.
Kinrick are far removed from the commercially inclined Hard Rock of Fredrick's youth. Instead this is full-on power metal in its purest form, with guitarist Corbin King riffing like a total maniac.
Fans of Metal Church, Priest and to a degree, Pantera or Exodus, will be in pure metallic bliss with this record. Throughout All Time in particular is out of this world.
Dave Reynolds-Classic Rock (UK)
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1heavymetal.com
KINRICK
Sense Your Darkness
Leviathan Records
HEAVY! One word that can be used to describe the debut release from Kinrick. "Sense Your Darkness" is the latest Leviathan Records release and label guru David Chastain is to be commended for assembling the 4 members of this band to record this release. Vocalist Stephen Fredrick cut his teeth on the first several Firewind releases and is joined by former bandmate Stian Krsitoffersen (Firewind, Pagan's Mind) on drums and by bassist James Martin from Zanister.
From lead track "Call Of Honor" you are treated to some melodic yet aggressive guitar riffage courtesy of Corbin King from Vainglory. The break-neck pace continues on "Throughout All Time" which sounds like it could have been a Chastain song from the "Ruler Of The Wasteland" era. Fredrick and King compliment each quite well trading thick riffs for strong-willed vocals. "I Fight Alone" takes on a more deliberate pace but still crushes with its heaviness. "Stand Up And Fight" along with post of the songs on the album possess a relentless attitude that is much different than most modern heavy metal albums you hear. While they don't sound similar at all, it is much the same attack that Prong employed. "The Empire Falls Again" storms through the speakers will an incredible intensity that is soon followed up by the slower, deliberate closer "Sense Your Darkness".
While Kinrick does not possess the "heaviness" of a Slayer, they do have such a heavy aura throughout "Sense Your Darkness" that fans of different styles of metal may be lured in by their intensity. The ominous tones of bad intent mixed with the killer tandem of King and Fredrick make for a lethal debut release.
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Powerpackerzine #16
Kinrick
Sense Your Darkness
Leviathan 2005
Is there such a thing as "true" Metal? What I mean is in today's Metal community there are many types of classifications of Metal; there's Power and Progressive, there's Black and Death, there's Punk and Hardcore, there's....you get my drift. There really isn't anything to rightfully describe just plain old Metal-and yes, I know True Metal is a classification, but that term seems so wrongfully used that, to me, it's worthless even to attempt using this description.
So here I am trying to figure how best to describe the music within Sense Your Darkness, when it all hits me-screw trying to classify this! I'll just tell you that Kinrick features Corbin King of VAINGLORY, Stephen Fredrick x-FIREWIND, Stian Kristoffersen-PAGAN'S MIND, and James Martin of ZANISTER. Add a bit of Manowar to the mix and you'll know the sounds of the album. Melodic vocals combined with most exciting guitar riffs and solos are the two things which stand out the most from Sense Your Darkness, so do be warned that if you hate anything remotely melodic, chances are you'll be tearing you ears off when listening to what Kinrick has to offer us. I don't know if I'm just being picky these last two months or what, but as with many other albums, the ending is not as good as the beginning. I guess it's to be expected since Kinrick is a new "super group,"
so chances are they didn't have a lot of time to write ten billion songs and pick out the best ten.
Are you longing for the sounds of just plain ole' Metal? Sense Your Darkness will be an album which will help deflate that longing that's been rumbling inside your musical Metal mind. Good stuff, especially for those who want less progressiveness in their Metal. No progressive moments here!
Favorite track: "Throughout All Time"
Cameron Gillespie
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QUINTESSENCE METAL WEBZINE JUNE 2005
Kinrick (U.S.)- "Sense Your Darkness" (2005 Leviathan Records)
If there is absolutely one metal album to buy all fuckin' year long, this is it. All bullshit aside, this is the new genius work of guitarist Corbin King (Vainglory) and ex-Firewind vocalist Stephen Fredrick (hence the last names are combined for the band name). Joining them are Zanister bassist James martin and Firewind drummer Stian Kristoffersen. Traditional, powerful heavy metal here with more riffs than all the Exodus and Anthrax albums combined (I'm exaggerating of course but damn, you'll hear what I mean!).
Despite I gave some putdowns on King's solo album last year, I love instrumental albums but King like Joe Stump is very innovative for his crunchy and catchy rhythms and that's what appeals to me more than the 30,000 notes per measure stuff and this Kinrick debut just smokes my ass off. Throw in Stephen's vocals which are as high quality as D.C. Cooper, Rhett Forrester, Ralph Scheepers and the dude from PC 69, you can't go wrong with calling this the perfect metal album to have in you collection.
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Metal-Rules.com
Kinrick - Sense Your Darkness
May 2005 | Released: 2005, Leviathan Records
| Reviewer: Rick
Leviathan Records has get to be one of the best kept secrets in the metal world. Their roster includes some of the best guitar shredders on the planet, such as Joe Stump, Michael Harris and Leviathan owner David Chastain. They also have some of the best bands that no one has ever heard of including Southern Gentlemen, Vainglory and now Kinrick. Strange name for a band you might think, but there is a method to the madness here. Kinrick's main components are vocalist Stephen Frederick, who until recently was the vocal power behind Gus G. and Firewind, along with guitar player extraordinaire Corbin King who is the man behind the very promising VainGlory. Joining the duo is Stian Kristoffersen (Firewind, Pagans Mind) on drums and James Martin (Zanister) on bass.
Corbin King is a riff monster. For anyone that hasn't heard VainGlory you don't know what you are missing. Any band with King is sure to be a treat for anyone into traditional/powermetal with, dare I say itŠ POWER. That he has joined up with Fredrick is interesting since Fredrick just parted ways with another riff monster who goes by the name of Gus G. They are a great fit and prove it on tracks such as the crusher "Throughout all Time", the plodding and heavy ended "Through the Void" and the anthemic "Stand Up and Fight". There is also a loose theme running throughout SENSE YOUR DARKNESS. That theme is the repression of the downtrodden, no matter where in the world and how the needs of the many are sacrificed to make a few people rich. As the worlds wealth becomes increasingly localized in the hands of fewer and fewer people and human suffering increases it becomes hard to ignore the effects on the human race as a whole. The lyrics of Kinrick reflect the realities of our world today and their music is the perfect backdrop to relay their message.
Leviathan might be a small label but the quality of their bands cannot be questioned. Kinrick fits right in with Leviathan's roster of metal. It is too bad that Stephen Fredrick had to leave Firewind. The band was just starting to come into their own as one of the best metal bands on today's scene. Well Firewind's loss is Kinrick's gain. Hopefully this lineup can stay together. Only time will tell how great they could be.
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Metal Express Radio
KINRICK / Sense Your Darkness / Leviathan Records
by: DAN SKIBA
KINRICK is the brainchild of guitarist/songwriter extraordinaire David T. Chastain, and his Leviathan Records label, and although Chastain is credited with writing all of the material for KINRICK's debut Sense Your Darkness album, he doesn't perform at all on any of the songs! Instead, Chastain was successful in locating and pairing together ex-Firewind vocalist Stephen Fredrick and Vainglory guitarist Corbin King to head up the band. KINRICK, the name, is the clever result of merging the last names of these 2 individuals. The other members of KINRICK are Stian Kristoffersen, bludgeoning the drums (Pagan's Mind), and James Martin, wielding the bass (Zanister).
Musically, this album is as good as it gets, and simply has it all, the style is generally Traditional Metal, built around King's thick, driving, bass-emphasized, angry-sounding power chords, with a few elements of Progressive Metal in the guitar solos and drumming mixed into their work. The result is a fresh, yet familiar, musical style that certainly grabs your attention and gets the adrenaline flowing from the opener, "Call Of Honor," to and through the final cut and title track, "Sense Your Darkness." Fredrick's vocal style is unique, to say the least, if you haven't heard him sing before with Firewind, you'll find that you're probably either going to love or hate his vocal approach - his style on this album is kind of a cross between WASP's Blackie Lawless and KISS's Gene Simmons. He delivers a very consistent performance throughout the CD, but doesn't have the prototypical wide dynamic range to his voice that is more often than not customary when considering the Traditional Metal style. Whether or not Frederick's vocal performance strikes your fancy or turns you off, the power behind KINRICK's music, without a doubt, stands strong regardless.
Sense Your Darkness contains 10 tracks (45 minutes), and all of them are solid. Topically, the lyrical themes behind the songs generally deal with Chastain invoking a call to arms, of sorts, to Metalheadz everywhere to fight for the oppressed and downtrodden of this world, and to stand up against the "forces that continue to cause injustice and repression." One could definitely conclude that the lyrical feel of this album is indeed hostile, although Chastain wisely doesn't go overboard in that direction, which likely would have caused the CD to lose many of its melodic undertones and overall enjoyableness.
Although all of the songs are good, "Call Of Honor," "Throughout All Time," "I Fight Alone," "Dressed Up As God," "Stand Up And Fight," and "For Your Evil" rise slightly above the other tracks, mostly because of King's guitar playing, which is particularly innovative within these songs. In addition to King's outstanding performance, Kristoffersen offers a stellar show too on the skins, adding a twist to the otherwise "conventional" sound of King and Martin. In "Throughout All Time," for example, Kristoffersen's ability and influence on the music of KINRICK is particularly noticeable via his intricate double-bass drumbeat. Martin's bass play is very noteworthy too, and he's really successful in rounding out the deep-toned sound aspect of the band. Couple all of this with stellar production quality, and you indeed have a true winning combination.
All in all, if you like a power approach to your Metal with plenty of guitar and bass work driving the music (and who doesn't?), this KINRICK album is a release you should definitely check out. Musically, you're not going to find anything much better this year, so the real key comes down to your impression of and appetite for Fredrick's vocal style and abilities. You're not going to hear Halford-like range exuded from Fredrick's vocal chords on this album, but the innovative musicianship, solid song structure, and impressive production quality more than make up for that potential shortcoming, resulting in one of the more solid CDs thus far in 2005!
REPORT CARD:
Guitars: A-
Bass: A-
Percussion: A-
Lyrics: B
Recording Quality: A
Originality: B
Overall Rating: B+
Release Date: March 2005
Web site: www.KINRICK.com
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Metal Observer-Germany
Kinrick - Sense Your Darkness (7,5/10) - USA - 2005
Genre: Heavy Metal
Label: Leviathan Records
Playing time: 45:08
A few old acquaintances sail under a new name. The banner is KINRICK and is put together from the names of two of them, guitarist Corbin KINg (ex VAINGLORY) and singer Stephen FredRICK (ex KENZINER/FIREWIND), plus PAGANS MIND powerhouse Stian Kristoffersen on drums and bassist James Martin (ex ZANISTER), and as producer and song writer good ole David T. Chastain.
Style wise “Sense Your Darkness" is quite traditional Heavy Metal with a light Rock list, with quite crunchy guitar sound, Stephen's characteristic rough/melodic vocals and Stian's damn tight, powerful drumming and David has tailored some nicely heavy songs that do not exactly ooze originality, but thanks to the guitars and of course the vocals still have their own touch.
Especially the characteristic voice hits a soft spot with me, I had already liked it with FIREWIND and it also gives the KINRICK compositions a nice edge. What the songs also greatly benefit of are the dynamics, which is built up through well placed tempo changes and are best displayed on "I Fight Alone" and "For Your Evil", but also when they put more focus on the power, like on "Dressed Up As A God" or "The Empire Falls Again", KINRICK leave a more than just good impression and this mix makes "Sense Your Darkness" a damn entertaining disc, which is furthered by Chastain's powerful production.
Everything is rounded off by a very moody and fitting Rainer Kalwitz cover that envelopes an altogether very good Heavy Metal album that does not give me much to write about, but should fully convince all traditionalists! (Online September 17, 2005)
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From Todd Smith at thecutting-edge.net
KINRICK
Sense Your Darkness
Leviathan Records
Fueled by the voice of ex-Firewind vocalist Stephen Fredrick and guitar powerhouse Corbin King, Kinrick fuse together as true heroes of majestic rock. Sense Your Darkness adds to the long history of Leviathan's quality releases and, on many levels, is representative of Graham Bonnet-era MSG - wicked guitar weaving through a monster voice with a dynamo backend. With gargantuan licks we have the theatrical equivalent to a raging blockbuster as the record moves through arena anthems like "Throughout All Time" and the fist pumping "Dressed Up as God" with ease and confidence. Then there is the title cut, "Sense Your Darkness" which not only defines the record, but reminds the listener of a bygone era that begs revisiting.
Considered somewhat of a label Super-group, Kinrick, with bass duties by James Martin (Zanister) and drums by Stian Kristoffersen (Firewind), bring a formative element to a genre that for years has been dominated by their European contemporaries. That original stamp can be heard in "Stand up and Fight" and the memorable "Make Me a Man" where retro-metal meets the nimble fingers of King's Slayer-like density. Flashes of Malice, Rough Cutt and even Dio reach in and twist a stranglehold on "The Empire Falls Again," "I Fight Alone," and "Call of Honor" in tone and delivery. The combination is intoxicating as they hail all that's pure in powerful rock - sledgehammer riffs, tasteful solos, stunning vocals and one of the best drums sound yet.
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Reviews - Kinrick - Sense Your Darkness (Leviathan)
This is the latest release from the Leviathan stable. They crank out some outstanding releases and Sense Your Darkness is one of them.
Kinrick is largely a vehicle for vocalist Stephen Fredrick(Firewind) with his powerfull, melodic vocals and Vainglory shredder god in waiting, Corbin King, who also has good guitar sensibilities and plays intricate solos. This is a very strong release in my book, one that I enjoy listening to over and over again. Other musicians are Norwegian drummer Stian Kristofferson(Firewind,Pagan's Mind)with his heavy kickbass and hardhitting backbeats plus the stacotto rhythms of James Martin(Zanister)on bass round out this heavy powerfull band.
Kinrick is a melding of Corbin King and Stephen Fredrick's last names.
David T. Chastain did all songwriting and producing on this album. Busy, busy man! I like this c.d. a lot! All songs are strong!
Visit Leviathan records on the web;
www.leviathanrecords.com
Darryl Baysinger-Hellride Music
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KINRICK- "Sense Your Darkness" - reviewed by Torch from http://www.rockhardplace.com
The voice of the critically acclaimed "Firewind" returns with a new powerhouse band called Kinrick that simply combines his name with guitarist Corbin King. If you liked the Firewind material, or traditional Metal in general, you'll be very pleased with the Kinrick release from Leviathan Records.
Fredrick's voice is so incredibly powerful he demands your attention. King's guitar-style is very similiar as both artists use emotion and emphasis rather than blistering speed and stratopheric notes to show off and impress. What you get are very emotional and powerful songs. Put that together with the backbone of drummer Stan Kristoffersen and James Martin on Bass and you have a blockbuster sound. David Chastain's production continues to get better each time out, and the mix and mastering by Christian Schmid solidifies this as a very powerful and classic release.
Kinrick doesn't quite have the memorable songs as Firewind had, but I think it's more solid from top to bottom. "The Empire Falls Again", "Call Of Honor" and "Dressed Up As God" were my personal favorites, but I would venture to say you'll get varied opinions from fans and writers on this. There's no fillers, but yet no tracks that stand above the others very strongly. It's an CD you put in and listen from beginning to end and enjoy the ride. If you claim to be a Metalhead, this is a must for your collection.
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Darryl at Eatnails.com
Kinrick is largely a vehicle for vocalist Stephen Fredrick(Firewind)and Vainglory guitar-god-in-waiting Corbin King. This release is very strong, bringing together the owerfull melodic vocals of Stephen Fredrick and the guitar shredding sensibilities and intricate solos of Corbin King. Norwegian Drummer Stian Kristofferson(Firewind, Pagan's Mind)with his heavy kickbass and hardhitting backbeats and the stacotto rhythms of bassist James Martin(Zanister)round out this heavy, powerfull band.
Kinrick is a melding of Corbin King and Stephen Fredrick's last names.
David T. Chastain wrote all songs contained on this release and also produced this album.
This is a great metal c.d.!
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Patrick Dumas at The Darkest Hours
Ex-Firewind vocalist Stephen Fredrick & Vainglory guitar player Corbin King team up on this album and called the project Kinrick. Playing classic heavy metal or if you prefer, power metal, the guitar work as been more than well done. This album is album riff. Imagine on top of that the powerfull vocal from Fredrick. This is traditionnal metal at its best with a lot of big solos with a perfect execution. Very easy to see that those musicians are excellent! Produced by David T. Chastain, the overall sound is strong as hell! A very heavy guitar sound. One word....Loud! So basically, this is a very good album, the only problem in my opinion is the fact that they could have written more catchy chorus. Cause the choruses of those songs doesn't stick to our head enough. Having said that, I suggest to fans of the genre to try it, you won't be dissapointed.
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Dirt at METAL DREAMS (US)
KINRICK - Sense Your Darkness
Leviathan Records
Posted: 6/21/05
Category: Heavy Metal/U.S. Power Metal
Released: 3/29/05
Named after guitarist Corbin King and vocalist Stephen Fredrick, Kinrick was formed when Leviathan Records owner David T. Chastain hooked King up with Fredrick. Fredrick had put some time in with Firewind (also on the Leviathan roster) and Chastain felt the guys would be a perfect musical match.
Kinrick is a powerful, but traditional metal band. King delivers power chords and fret burning leads, while Fredrick's is like a more aggressive version of former Rainbow singer Graham Bonnet. The double bass drumming of Stian Kristoffersen gives the music a power metal feel. Sense Your Darkness is the perfect title for the cd, as there is something very dark about the overall music.
Corbin King is the real deal (this guy can shred) and it is good to hear a tough (but traditional) vocalist like Fredrick.
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KINRICK - "SENSE YOUR DARKNESS ( 2005 )"
A FABULOUS METAL MACHINE, FEATURING "EX-FIREWIND" VOCALIST STEPHEN FREDRICK, "VAIN GLORY" GUITARIST CORBIN KING AND "PAGAN'S MIND" DRUMMER STIAN KRISTOFFERSEN!!! THIS JUST COULD BE THE HEAVIEST METAL RELEASE YOU'LL HEAR THIS YEAR, IT ALSO MAY BE THE BEST...
CD INZANE
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HARDROCKHAVEN.NET
Artist: Kinrick
CD Title: Sense Your Darkness
Label: Leviathan Records
Release Date: Out Now
If David Chastain contacts you and says, "Hey, I just wrote an entire album, but I don't want to play on it. You want to handle all the guitar parts," you better be damn sure you know how to shred. Vainglory guitarist Corbin King did just that, and handled all the compositions with a style reminiscent of Chastain, except maybe not quite as thrashy.
The band, named Kinrick after King and ex-Firewind vocalist Stephen Frederick, reigned in the songs and made them their own on Sense Your Darkness. Filling out the group is drummer Stian Kristofferson (Firewind, Pagan's Mind) and bassist James Martin (Zanister). The musicianship on this album is damn near perfect. The production is crystal clear, and all of the songs are well constructed and heavy. No ballads, and the tempo changes typically go from fast to faster, except in a few parts.
Sense Your Darkness begins with "Call of Honor," a track heavy on everything: blasting drum beats, driving bass and riffing that is non compos mentis. You won't be able to say enough about King's playing style. This is also where you are introduced to singer Frederick. He delivers with real emotion and with a throaty, pissed off vocal style. This sounds more like thrash than traditional metal, though, mainly due to Frederick's yelling versus singing style. During the chorus, he does sing with dark melody, showing another side to his voice.
The theme of the album "deals with depression of the downtrodden Š and the rich and powerful continuing their scourge that benefits the few at the expense of many." A song like "I Fight Alone," is a direct reflection of the theme. The guitar solo is just searing, and again, "heavy" is the best way to describe this track all around, including the lyrics. "With my family and my god above, I know I fight alone," is one best lines in the song.
Keeping with the "fight" theme, "Stand Up and Fight" is another aggressive song. The drumming by Kristofferson is intense, and again, the overall musicianship will amaze. This song more or less bludgeons you.
"Make Me a Man" is one of the slower songs, except it's not slow at all. It's sort of an updated thrash version of "Blue Collar Man," basically about a guy forced to work the 8-5 gig. While this song is slower, it thumps, and it is just as powerful as the other tracks. Frederick continues his semi-shouting style here, and if you have to find a knock on this album, it may come down to his voice. He doesn't have the range, or at least, doesn't show it here, of what many consider a "power metal" vocalist. In some ways, it limits the song and probably, the songwriting.
Sense Your Darkness will be a welcome surprise to many metal fans out there, wanting to hear a more violent yet controlled type of metal. All of these guys are masters of their instruments, and coupled with the production, musically, this is just a top notch CD. Frederick may have one of those voices that come down to "love him or hate," but the more you listen, the better he gets.
KINRICK is one of those albums you can't let slip away. So go pick it up.
www.leviathanrecords.com
Track Listing: 1. Call of Honor 2. Throughout All Time 3. I Fight Alone 4. Dressed Up As God 5. Through the Void 6. Stand Up and Fight 7. For Your Evil 8. Make Me a Man 9. The Empire Falls Again 10. Sense Your Darkness
Rating: 7.7/10
Reviewer: Derric Miller
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The awesome debut album from Kinrick, featuring ex-Firewind vocalist Stephen Fredrick and Vain Glory guitarist Corbin...
...Kinrick's Sense Your Darkness - Feauturing the talents of ex-Firewind vocalist Stephen Fredrick, Vainglory guitarist Corbin King and Firewind / Pagan's Mind Drummer Stian Kristoffersen, with bass duties handled by Zanister bassist James Martin, Kinrick could rightly be called a power metal super group. Sense Your Darkness...
melodicrock.com
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KINRICK/Sense Your Darkness (Leviathan)
Excellent metal verging on power
metal. The music is catchy metal with thick soaring vocals. The band don't sound
like all the Hammerfall clone bands and instead play US brand of metal. Think
Helstar and Omen, etc. A band worth searching out and finding. Info:
www.leviathanrecords.com
metalcore
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Reviewed by Masa @ 21st Century Metal Net
SENSE YOUR DARKNESS
Release: Jun. 25. 2005 - Majestic Rock
KINRICK is a new US heavy metal band fronted by ex-FIREWIND vocalist Stephen Fredrick and VAINGLORY guitarist Corbin King. This is their full-length debut CD produced by David T. Chastain. The addition of ZANISTER bassist James Martin and PAGAN'S MIND drummer Stian Kristoffersen completes the line-up.
With 'Sense Your Darkness', the group effectively created authentic U.S. heavy metal, combining dark riffs, mid-paced solid rhythms, mid-ranged strong vocals and ample moments of guitar solo virtuosity. You can compare their music to FIREWIND more or less, but KINRICK is far heavier and less melodic. Despite its heaviness, the album has a constant traditional heavy metal influence, which mostly shines through well-thought riffs and leads. The nearest band to compare this with could be WARRIOR.
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BLAST MAGAZINE by Darrell Finley
Kinrick - 'Sense Your Darkness'
Released through Leviathan Records in 2005
THE BAND:
Corbin King - guitars
Stephen Fredrick - vocals
Stian Kristoffersen - drums
James Martian - bass
TRACK - BY - TRACK:
1.) "Call Of Honor" -This track opens with a single guitar rhythm. At the opening of the first pre-verse Corbin overdubbed a second guitar rhythm. This gives the pre-verse arrangement a real heavy thick feel. The pre-verse vocal line has a very older late eighties thrash metal sound to it. The double bass drum pattern and guitar riffs of the musical verse is very similar to a lot of the stuff Lars Ulrich and James Hetfield done on Metallica's earlier releases. The chorus undergoes a drastic musical change where the band slows the arrangement down to a very ballad feel. Because the musical section underneath the guitar solo is so intense it almost overshadows the guitar solo.
2.) "Thoughout All Time" - At times through the intro section Corbin overdubbed little lead riffs that gives the intro section a lot of depth. There is a small pause within the musical arrangement between the intro and verse. The verse was set up and written in a fairly standard thrash metal style. For me the hook of the song was during the guitar arrangement of the pre-chorus. At times, especially through the second verse the vocal lines where very overshadowed by the intense musical arrangement the song has. The vocal accents Stephen used for the song shows his great vocal ability and control. It sounds like David T. Christian the producer of the CD, added small effects to the tom-toms during the drum fills of this song. Either that or Stian used a trigger to get the effect. As a drummer I was taken aback by the double bass drum pattern of the solo section.
3.) "I Fight Alone" -The lead guitar licks of this intro section gives the song a very progressive feel. There is a very cool bass line that opens the musical verse. At times through the verse the song has an older Accept feel to it. The main guitar rhythm of the song has a very laid back sound to it. Stian uses the double bass to accent the drum pattern on this track. Though the song had a very cool guitar solo it was overshadowed by the driving force of stian double bass drum pattern. During the breakdown section after the song the band break time and slow the song down.
4.) "Dressed Up As God" -The intro section to this track opens with a very laid back thrash arrangement. The second half of the intro and leading into the verse are little lead guitar riffs. I felt after listening to the verse a couple of time that the vocals could have been turned up just a little more than what they where. This is one of the fist songs on the CD where you can actually hear the backing vocals. The main guitar arrangement is more or less lead riffs strung together to make a guitar rhythm. I really liked the way the band arranged the guitar tracks leading into the guitar solo.
5.) "Through The Void" -The intro to this track opens with a very laid back speed metal musical arrangement. Stian switching from the hi-hat to the 'china' boy cymbal during the musical change of the intro to verse really added a nice effect. The overdubbed guitar parts of the verse gives the verse a very heavy sound. For the pre-chorus Stian chose to stay with the china boy instead of using his ride cymbal. At times Stephens vocal lines are very similar to the original Metal Church vocalist David Wayne. This is very evident on the vocal accents of the vocal lines. During the guitar solo the band switches the rhythm of the song to a twelve-note rhythm pattern.
6.) "Stand Up And Fight" -The intro of this track consist of a minor lead guitar riff. The musical arrangement of the verse has an older speed metal feel to it. For the chorus Stian switches the drum pattern to a full double bass drum arrangement. This track is all so one of the few tracks on the release where there is actual backing vocals. if it was not for the double bass drum pattern of the chorus arrangement the song would have sounded very flat. Compared to the musical arrangement the guitar solo was very laid back. During the guitar solo the band wrote a small chorus section. This was strange mainly because I am not use to that style of writing. But none the less I thought it was a very unique thing to do and something you don't hear often. The outro section consisted of an acapella vocal line.
7.) "For Your Evil" -The opening of the intro on this track was played backwards. The musical section of the verse was arranged in a very older Metallica feel. The way the double bass drum and rhythm guitar compliment each other on this track is what makes the song. After the first chorus the band changes the rhythm of the song. which shows great song writing ability on the part of the band. Much like the main musical arrangement of song the guitar solo had a very laid back feel. After the guitar solo the band breaks the song down with a twelve-not rhythm arrangement. After the twelve-note rhythm arrangement there is a second guitar solo.
8.) "Make Me A Man" -The guitar arrangement of the intro and verse of this track had a very laid back feel. One of the main highlights of the track was the huge bass line the song has. There are sweet hooks laced within the lyrical lines of the song. The band change the rhythm arrangement a little for the guitar solo. much like the song the guitar solo had a very laid back feel.
9.) "The Empire Falls Again" -This track opens with a fairly standard old style trash metal intro. The arrangement of the verse focuses on the double bass drum pattern as the lead instrument. The backing vocals of the chorus bleed through a little more on this song than some of the other songs on the release. After the second chorus there is a minor melodic style guitar solo. For the major solo section the bands slows the song down to a heavier melodic feel.
10.) "Sense Your Darkness" - This track opens with a drum rhythm. The drum rhythm on a roundabout way reminded me a lot of Montross's 'Rock Candy'. The main guitar riffs of the intro section has a very heavy melodic feel. The highlight of the intro section was the way the band arranged the bass line. The band changes the rhythm at the opening of the musical pre-verse to a twelve-note rhythm arrangement. I really got off on the bass line of the chorus. After the second chorus the band changes the speed of the track to a more thrash style. Much like the main musical arrangement the guitar solo had a very laid back feel. The main guitar solo is after the third chorus and was arranged with a more intense sound.
Normally a band or song writer write songs based upon their respective musical influences. An it is getting where more and more often by the time you hear the final product the influential sound is lost. This is not the case with kinrick!!! You can actually hear influences such as Metallica, Metal Church, and even Montrose. The ten tracks on 'Sense your Darkness' are very well written and arranged with excellent production. The only real complaint with the release is the fact that on several of the songs the background music is so intense that it overshadows a lot of the lead guitar solo work. This complaint is more of a personal preference than anything and does not take away anything from the quality of the release.
If you are into older speed metal, such as Metal Church's 'The Dark' than 'Sense You Darkness' is definitely worth checking out.
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*Get Ready To Rock (UK)
KINRICK 'Sense Your Darkness'
Majestic Rock MAJCD056 (2005)
This hard rock album, almost aggressive in places, is an excellent slab. With all the songs written by producer David T Chastain, the sound is very heavy and pretty fluid, with emphasis on Corbin King's excellent guitar work.
Stephen Fredrick's vocals are rough but do show some range. In places there's an element of Graham Bonnet in his Blackthorn era, only a lot rougher.
Tracks like 'Dressed Up As God' do show some interesting rhythms, but elsewhere it's a solid metal album with nothing standing out too much. The drums are at the slow end of Judas Priest too.
If you like your metal heavy and modern without stooping to the nu-metal crap, you'll love this.
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Metal Temple
Reviewed by Ian on 2005/07/07
Stephen Fredrick - Vocals
Corbin King - Guitar
James Martin - Bass
Stian Kristoffersen - Drums
When this release popped up on my computer a little while ago I was confused as to what it was going to sound like because I did the research on this band so long ago that I did not remember anything about it. When I redid the research for it, nothing on the page seemed familiar so I came to the conclusion that I was drunk when I did the original research. On the upside though it turned out to be an outstanding debut on a band that some pretty famous Power Metal bands in its lineage.
The band had its beginnings in 2004 with former lead vocalist of Firewind, Stephen Fredrick. He then recruited Vainglory guitarist Corbin King, Zanister bassist James Martin and drummer Stian Kristofferson from Pagan's Mind and Firewind. "Sense Your Darkness" was under the helm of guitar virtuoso David T. Chastain, who did an absolutely great job with the album.
Having never heard Firewind with Stephen fronting them his vocals were a new experience to me. His vocals are definitely the highlight of the entire album with somewhat of a rough, and almost aggressive but still melodic feel to them. The vocals are kind of hard to describe which is particularly good because a new sound is always welcome to these ears as well as the Power Metal community, which has quite a few generic sounding bands within its ranks.
Having David produce this album I am sure helped the guitar on the album overall because they also stand out a lot. The album is littered with guitar solos and tweaks on the fret board. One of the better solos on the album in my opinion is one from "I Fight Alone", which also happens to be one of the better tracks on the album.
On the whole this album is one of the better Power Metal releases this year. I cannot really say enough about this album. The only real tiny fault I could find was the lyrics on "Make Me A Man", I just found them cheesy and ridiculous.
This is a must purchase for fans of Firewind or any other bands that its members have been in. I definitely look forward to hearing more from this band.
- Album Highlights: "I Fight Alone", "Sense Your Darkness" and "Dressed Up As God".
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Lords of Metal
Kinrick - Sense Your Darkness
Majestic Rock Records
file under Heavy/power metal
[Kinrick - Sense Your Darkness] Tormentor Erich:
Kinrick is a new heavy metal band from the Atlanta area. Although new.... ex Firewind singer Stephan Fredrick teamed up with Vainglory guitar player Corbin King, after they have been introduced to each other by the old guitar hero David T. Chastain. The two joined forces together with bass player James Martin (Zanister) and also Firewind drummer Stian Kristoffersen. And yes, the band name Kinrick is a conglomeration of the names King and Fredrick.
The ten songs are written well. The album is pleasant to listen to. Good traditional metal with a drive, a lot of solos (try the song 'Dressed Up As God') and always an eye for melody. The tight rhythm section and the clear production finish the album off. The big difference although between Kinrick and all of those other bands in the genre is vocalist Stephan Fredrick. The man has got a firm and powerful voice, but he also knows how to put some sensitive and fine melody in his lines.
So is this a new master class band now? No, not yet. Although the band has a clear own identity they still have to work on the songs to get to a higher level. At this moment there are still too much standard riffs and choruses in some songs. (Like 'Code Of Honour'). But despite these things, I think that Kinrick have released a good debut album, and that's a fact.
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melodicrock.com
Yet another big metal album! 2005 is shaping up as an all metal year. The pink and fluffy is being over shadowed by some truly strong melodic metal releases.
Kinrick are an American 4-piece band, that deliver a no-BS style straight up album of classy metal tunes.
Produced by fret-legend David T Chastain, these guys have a lot of energy and just as many riffs.
Vocalist Stephen Fredrick (ex-Firewind) reminds me of a mix between a darker, raspier Don Dokken and Impellitteri era Graham Bonnet. Throw in a little Bruce Dickinson/Iron Maiden and Kinrick might just be taking shape.
Guitarist Corbin King hails from metallers Vainglory and shows here a definite knack for power riffs and exciting solos.
The album is pretty unrelenting. 45 minutes of pure metal riffing and big, gruff vocals is the order of the day.
Call Of Honor is a good choice to open the album as it sets things up with a slightly more accessible sound before things get truly heavy.
The album continues to grow in intensity up to Dressed Up As God, which allows a little more melody into the chorus.
A double-headed dose of mean, tough and moody mid-tempo metal follows, before the double-kick drum pace of For Your Evil changes the pace.
The title track closes the album in the same vein as the majority of the tracks are brutally heavy, mid-tempo stompers, drilled into your head by an authorative and commanding metal vocal.
The Bottom Line
One for the true connoisseurs of metal not for the faint of heart! A well recorded and high quality record that should appeal to fans of Maiden, Impellitteri and Dokken even; with obvious appeal to fans of Firewind and Vainglory.
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Destiny (UK)
Kinrick - Sense Your Darkness
Bit of a strange one this insofar as it was written and produced by infamous guitar shredder David T. Chastain, yet for once, he doesn't play a single note on it. Combining the guttural vocal growl of ex Firewind / KenZiner front man Stephen Frederick, and the fretboard gymnastics of Vainglory guitarist Corbin King, Kinrick make a suitably dramatic entrance with 'Sense Your Darkness', a dark and foreboding shredfest which spits fire and brimstone at every available opportunity. Heavy and uncompromising throughout, it has a dynamic intensity which seems to combine the rampaging rifferama of early Firewind, with the technical (at times almost progressive), controlled brutality of bands like Testament. Frederick's throaty delivery lends extra weight to proceedings, making the tracks seem even heavier, the whole thing erupting into a brutal fire fight on a regular basis with some explosive fretboard runs from King. It ain't subtle, and it certainly isn't for the faint hearted, but there's a precision engineered, finely honed quality about tracks such as 'Call Of Honor', 'Stand Up And Fight', and 'Empire Falls Again', which metal heads can definitely identify with. Mean and moody.
(D.Cockett)
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