Am I Blood – Existence of Trauma

Last night, as I was shuffling through the new music available on iTunes, I was surprised to come across “Existence of Trauma” the new album from Finnish metal band Am I Blood. Most people are probably not familiar with Am I Blood, but back in 1998 they released “Agitation” (which was their third album) and I loved it. Apparently some people thought they sounded a bit like Metallica, and I could hear that. I expected their popularity would really take off. That never happened, though, and aside from one other album in 2001, they just sort of disappeared. Coming across their new album, all of a sudden last night, was a pleasant surprise, to say the least.

After listening to a few quick samples, I bought and downloaded the album. I do not know what they have been doing all these years, but “Existence of Trauma” is a strong comeback album. I‘m not sure what style of metal this would fall under; I guess just heavy metal with a touch of thrash. The songs are recorded well and sound catchy while still being heavy. The vocals are clean with a slight harsh edge on them. The production sounds good, but if I had my way, I might add a little more punch to the drums. Otherwise, it sounds fantastic.

I’m a bit more cynical these days about the chances of solid metal bands suddenly becoming popular, so I cannot say that I think that will happen with this album. I can say that I think they deserve more attention and recognition. This is why I’m posting this review here, in the hopes of spreading the good word about Am I Blood. Have you heard the good news? Am I Blood has risen!

Check this album out; I think you will enjoy it.