By Vinnie Apicella

The best I can make this out to be is some sort of heavy metal Christian-type act preaching faith… following the ways of the Lord. Not exactly your Stryper revisited though. Squealer-an interesting name assuming they are in fact delivering the "word" looks to have arrived from somewhere way up North… so can you imagine that? Whether or not they do embody religious teachings or even some capacity of Heaven, I mean, talk about the wayward sons! When's the last time anyone ever heard a Scandinavian band go in a direction other than… down? The sound here is for the most part, pretty cold and dark, and so remains a consistency in style to the many others, however don't be mislead. Nothing whatsoever to do with Black Metal or Death, Squealer is full bore powerfully crafted melodic metal with a touch of grace. "Friends for Life," "…But No One Cares," "Live Everyday," and "Hold on Tight" cover nearly the first half of the record and if there's a sound comparison to be drawn, think along the lines of maybe Gravedigger, especially in the vocal department… though with traces of outlying melodies favorably drawn from the keyboard and organ parts. In fact, Squealer must have used somewhere near ten contributing artists to enhance the superb effects bled into the focal point of the songs. Maybe not so much in terms of finding God or craving deliverance, Squealer seems to embody the spirit of life, while at the same time presenting mature subject matter, set to well aligned harmonies, double-bass beating and inspirational lyrics… where the skull fits in I haven't figured out just yet but offers enough of an indication to me that maybe 80% of what I've just previously written means not a damned thing! Solid effort in any instance and goes particularly well in a dark, dimly candlelit setting… for maximum out of body experience.

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