Saint Deamon Pandeamonium
by Derric Miller
Staff Writer
Back in 2008, Saint Deamon basically came out of nowhere with In Shadows Lost from the Brave, one of the year’s highlights. Led by drummer and songwriter extraordinaire Ronny Milianowicz, their debut unleashed expertly crafted Melodic Rock/Metal hits like “My Heart,” easily one of the best songs of the year. They are already back with their sophomore effort, Pandeamonium, out now.
While the songwriting definitely makes Saint Deamon stand out against their peers, the wicked pipes of ex-Highland Glory singer Jan Thore Grefstad seals the deal. He’s akin to singers like Urban Breed or Nils Rue, with the ability to soften the blow in a way Breed can’t, and a range that seemingly surpasses that of Rue’s, unless you are a dog, and then they’ll have to fill you in on who has the highest singing ability, because humans can’t hear those notes.
“Deception” opens the release, a galloping composition that is somewhere between the realms of Hard Rock and Power/Progressive Metal. The musicianship impresses all around. With Milianowicz acting as chief songwriter, you know the drum fills and leads are not merely keeping a beat. He’s a true artist, his drumming steroid-fueled yet deft at the same time. As far as choruses go, this may be the most memorable on the release.
The title track “Pandeamonium” seems to go back to what they accomplished with “My Heart,” a song that begins in a lower vocal range and slow builds to a mammoth melodic chorus that normal people can’t even attempt to sing along with. With lush keys and a somewhat foreboding darkness to it, “Pandeamonium” should and probably will be their biggest hit from the release.
The shortest and somewhat surprising song is “Way Home.” One thing that makes Saint Deamon more of a Melodic Rock band than the prior Power/Progressive labels is that they aren’t interested in writing 12-minute songs. “Way Home” is the shortest here, and has elements of the aforementioned genres, but they are really a hit-making machine that radio could play without asking for a radio-edit version. Like Circus Maximus, it’s almost eerie how good Saint Deamon is when they get it right.
Do they always get it right? Nothing is perfect. For instance, “The Deamon Within” branches off into Primal Fear land, a breakneck ride that doesn’t naturally mesh with most of the rest of the tracks. On “Oceans of Glory,” perhaps mid-80s Helloween influenced the guys a little too much, although, it’s another vocal masterpiece.
All in all, Saint Deamon must have known they set the bar excessively high on their first release. How could they top it? They didn’t on Pandeamonium, but they proved they could at least match it, and such high quality consistency is rare and an achievement in and of itself.
Label: Frontiers
Track listing:
1. Deception
2. The Only One Sane
3. Pandeamonium
4. Eyes of the Devil
5. A Day to Come
6. Way Home
7. Fallen Angel
8. The Deamon Within
9. Oceans of Glory
10. Fear In a Fragile Mind
HRH Rating: 7.6/10