Menace is the solo project of Mitch Harris, most known
for his work as guitarist for the legendary grindcore band Napalm Death. However, the similarities between both bands are none
(besides sharing the same bassplayer, Shane Embury, in some tracks), since
Menace and its only album, Impact
Velocity, are a progressive metal band, leaning more on the atmospheric side
of this genre like Devin Townsend
Project, or the symphonic elements of Emmerson,
Lake and Palmer.
This only album, Impact Velocity, was released in 2014, but till sounds as though it could have been released yesterday, since it sounds current and its melancholy fits perfectly into the current state of affairs in 2020. Here, Mitch Harris writes most of the music and sings, playing guitars and synths under pseudonym, as do the other players: on bass Shane Embury and Frédéric Leclercq, on strings and sub Nicola Manzan, Derek Roddy on drums. This way the band establishes itself as a steam-punk in the visual aspect, which is clear in the beautiful artwork for the album.
The first single, “I live with your ghost”, also opens
the album and catches the listeners’ attention, although the rest of the album
varies between more slow and melancholic sound (“Painted Rust”) and more heavy metal
(“To the Marrow” and “Drowning in Density”). However the blueprint to what you
will listen, strings that bring out the most emotive moments, precise drums and
a raspy vocal delivery, are present in this track, thus making it the best
introduction.
All in all, Impact
Velocity, is an amazing and catchy album, that fails only to be a little
shorter, many of its tracks flow seamlessly from one into another, but not all
stand out like the ones that were released as singles. As for Menace, here’s to hoping that more will
be released from this amazing project.
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Until then you can follow the band and acquire the
album in the links below, should you choose to support the artist:
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