Author: Rok Klemše
Artist: No Return
Label: Dockyard 1 Records
Release: 2008
After most of the lineup walked out following the release of Self Mutialtion (2001), the French death/thrash metal champs fell into a painful, years-long search for themselves and their sound. Their next two releases, Machinery (2002) and No Return (2006), are thus considered the weakest stretch of the No Return discography. Still, even with two merely average albums, a glimmer of hope remained for a comeback from a band that was once very good. Well, make that “remained” no more: with their new album (their first for Dockyard 1) titled Manipulated Mind, No Return have poured gasoline on the embers and lit a magnificent bonfire!
Manipulated isn’t going to be the album that revolutionizes death/thrash metal, and even within the No Return discography it follows a pretty tried-and-true formula. But that doesn’t change the fact that Manipulated Mind is a damn fine representative of the genre, one that without a doubt brings the band back from the dead. The album serves up a hellish mix of ultra-fast, aggressive death metal, made more dynamic by outstanding technical solos and infectious melodies. But no fear, this is not some trendy metalcore or melodic death metal! No Return clearly did their homework on names like Sepultura, Possessed, Pestilence (the Maleus Mallificarum album), Quo Vadis, Testament and Exodus, and took only the best from the old school of thrash and death metal. Manipulated is not a classic death metal album of brutal vocals, blast beats and death metal riffs (even though the record is full of death metal influences), because it effectively blends death with technical thrash metal riffs and refined solos. The production is excellent, the guitars are sharp and clean, the drums dynamic and varied, and only the bass sits a bit too far back in the mix. Over the venomous instrumental foursome looms the versatile, raw and violent vocal of Moreno Grosso, whose delivery recalls David Kiselič (ex-Magus Noctum, Nibiru). Even though guitarist Alain Clement remains the band’s only original member, we can safely say about No Return that all those lineup changes barely show. The band is still top quality, and Manipulated Mind proves that the light is shining on No Return again. If only their label Dockyard 1 did a better job of getting them wider recognition.
Honestly, the only weak spot of the album is its running time of just 37 minutes, but at least those forty minutes (give or take) deliver a dynamic, fast, melodic, aggressive and raw mix of death and thrash metal, which suggests that No Return could (once again) rule the French metal scene in the near future.
Lineup
Moreno Grosso – vocals
Alain Clement – guitar
Boban – drums
Nicolas Coudert – guitar
David Barbosa – bass
Track list
1.Manipulated Mind
2.Puzzle of Life
3.Rising
4.Take me Beyond
5.New Items
6.Blackness
7.Carnal Violence
8.The Right Course
9.Out of Control
