review by: Jez Andrews

Call me slow to catch on if you will, but this is the first Angel Dust offering it has been my pleasure to hear, from a back catalogue spanning about 14 years. Of Human Bondage is a tough nut to crack. Even now, I can't be sure whether or not I like it.

This album is a decent enough example of modern power metal, despite the slightly annoying doses of synthesizer intros and breaks. I'm of the opinion that if a power metal album is to be really effective, it should impress the listener at any volume. You've got to play this one loud, no question about it. I wouldn't say that this is to compensate for any great lack of creativity on the band's part, but to emphasise the finer points of the music. The quantity of mediocre material displayed here can get a little frustrating, but Of Human Bondage does have its moments. The riffing is solid, and producer Siggi Bemm has done a fine job with the sound.

Opening track "The Human Bondage" will have heads nodding at the very least. "Inhuman" is better still, with the keyboard track benefiting the sound nicely. In fact, there are elements of it that do actually get the hair flying. Unfortunately, the excitement fades with the end of the second track. The token 'mellow' number, "Disbeliever," is just a little too fucking boring for my taste. Let it not be said that Angel Dust haven't made an effort though. "Unite" has some decent weight behind it, and the album overall has a reasonable quantity of double bass drum assaults.

"Freedom Awaits," despite the serious need for speed, has one of the most gorgeous keyboard tracks I've heard in a long time, complimenting the guitars perfectly. However, Angel Dust's ill-chosen cover of Seal's "Killer" to round off the album is something I will not even dignify with a response.

Well, this one has its ups and downs. It's nowhere near mundane enough to be considered sub-standard, but at the same time, it lacks the spark and finesse that would make it a great album. Damn it, I'm confused...