Review JAMES RIVERA’S METAL WAVE ‘New Wave Gone Metal’

Without a doubt, James Rivera belongs to the gifted singers in heavy metal. He is the voice of Helstar, enriching albums such as the stellar ‘Nosferatu’ and ‘A Distant Thunder’. But what came to Rivera’s mind when he decided to record ‘New Wave Gone Metal’ remains an unrevealed secret.

It seems like Rivera has a soft spot not only for metal but also for some new wave songs. ‘New Wave Gone Metal’ is an attempt to combine both passions. Unfortunately, the result is a failure. There are certainly some good examples of combing the genres, such as the ‘Okkult’ releases by Atrocity. However, James Rivera’s Metal Wave doesn’t even come close to what the Germans achieved.

It starts with ‘Black Celebration’, originally by Depeche Mode, and the beginning is not a good one. Neither do the songs come across as cool metal anthems, nor as a tribute to the mighty synth-pop veterans. Its bloodless interpretation doesn’t embrace the great song, and the same goes for the interpretation of Tears For Fears’ ‘Everybody Wants to Rule the World’.

And if you think that punk rock à la Ramones might work better in a metallic arrangement, you will be disappointed. Not even The Cult’s ‘Rain’ is convincing in this context.

The intention of interpreting new wave songs in a metal fashion is commendable and not entirely new. However, this attempt missed the mark by far, and there are many more good releases to explore these days. Alternatively, spinning some of the Helstar records might provide a more enjoyable and headbanging experience.