Intranced

by Intranced

Intranced is definitely a band worthy of attention among the NWOTHM acts of the 2020s. Fundamentally, this band knows how to craft genuine "heavy metal riffs." In a genre where straying too far from the legacy of the '80s is often seen as a flaw, Intranced has a strong grasp of what traditions to preserve. However, the NWOTHM genre should not merely be a simplistic, anachronistic revival of music from 30 to 40 years ago—just as the Renaissance was not a mere copy of Greco-Roman antiquity, NWOTHM must be a "new" rebirth to find its true significance. This is where the EP leaves something to be desired.

Excluding the intro "Ángeles Nocturnos" and the outro "Danza Macabra," this EP essentially consists of four songs. The two tracks that follow the intro, "Upside Down" and "Dream Lover," share similar traits. Both feature some cool riffs, though nothing particularly distinctive. However, within their brief runtimes of less than three minutes, the songs merely touch upon the basics of what "decent" music should offer before they abruptly end. "El Gran Deseo" is a hard rock track with a heavy metal bridge, and while it’s an interesting listen, it lacks strong appeal. The title track, "Intranced," which is arguably the highlight of the EP, features speedy and melodic riffs that should easily please heavy metal fans. However, it doesn’t stray one bit from a conventional song structure, making it fundamentally no different from "Upside Down" or "Dream Lover" in terms of composition.

Though this EP leaves much to be desired, it’s still an enjoyable listen. While there’s little in the way of innovation, traditional heavy metal fans will find plenty to appreciate in this release.