Pertness – Frozen Time (2012)
Here’s another odd name for a metal band, Pertness. By definition, according to Webster, at it’s root as an adjective, ‘pert’ can have several meanings including: flippantly cocky and assured; being trim and chic, or jaunty, i.e., a pert little hat; or, piquantly stimulating. More basically it can mean lively or vivacious. How did this Swiss band fall upon this appellation for their band?Oddly, I suppose some of these words could apply to Pertness and their second album, Frozen Time, but that would be stretching metaphor and credulity. Pertness has some other curious oddities about them. They’re at their core a melodic power metal, but also engage thrash metal and some folk nuances. (No More Messiah and The Star of the County Down, by example).
More curious is Tom Schluchter’s strong vocal style. By strong, I don’t mean necessarily good or sufficient. He’s gruff, at his melodic best and an acquired taste. But he also borders somewhere between hardcore and death growls. You get this Cold Wind of Death and The Last Survival, among others. It’s likely the strength of the band and the album is the music: basically this is quite heavy, but also melodic, power thrash metal. Combined with the vocals, Frozen Time might appeal to a more modern metal audience who seem to favor more harsh vocals these days. Conversely, I like my vocals more melodic. Best tracks, for the metal, at least: No More Messiah, Lost In Time, The Eye of the Storm, and The Star of the County Down.
01. Frozen Time
02. My Will Is Broken
03. Farewell to Past
04. No More Messiah
05. Cold Wind of Death
06. I Sold My Remorse
07. The Last Survival
08. Lost in Time
09. Shadow Knights
10. The Eye of the Storm
11. The Star of the County Down
Pertness – Frozen Time (2012)