“Inferno Rising” includes a wide range of emotions that match the ebb and flow of the song’s tempos, as the work includes moments of subdued introspection and equally furious demonstrations of musical virtuosities from Stockwell and Riot. With seven of the nine songs clocking in at over six minutes, this is not a simple record to have on as background music Maledictus needs to be listened to quite intently with an appreciation of the breadth of ideas found within each piece. While the song does feature understanded keys woven within the mix, it is also a track that illuminates each member’s abilities, as bassist Butch Cid works in perfect tandem with Gaspar to formulate a punishing foundation for the effort. Guitarists Ben Stockwell and Josh Riot are prominently featured throughout the record, and their playing drifts from the mystical to the head-banging, with “The Reckoning” acting as the finest example of the latter.
Whether he stands alone with only a brief piano interlude behind him or a raging, highly combustible assault, he is a dynamic singer in full control of his talents. Vocalist Rez is not a metal screamer, but a man with extraordinary control over his style who never pushes his voice but instead allows it to co-exist seamlessly within the tempest of music around him. The result is a complex yet richly harmonious song that reflects the remarkable talent found within this line-up. “Saudade” is poetic in its structure, borrowing elements of traditional power metal and touches of thrash and ethereal atmospheric components. Each track is a sprawling, richly textured piece of storytelling set to fluid guitar playing and a dense low end. Gaspar, a former member of Moonspell, brings much of that band’s sense of grandeur to the work of Seventh Storm. In terms of time, Maledictus is a very long ride, as nearly every song is a six- to eight-minute-long exploration of traditional metal augmented with the flavors of Portugal, the homeland of Mike Gaspar, drummer and founder of Seventh Storm. Therefore, when this epic collection of nine expansive tracks opens with “Pirate’s Curse” and closes with “Cursed Sea”, I thought I was in for a long ride. To begin with, I am not a significant fan of pirates, whether they come from Somalia, sea shanty lore, or Disney, I just never gravitated to tales of the high seas. Traffic checking is the focus of a new race type, Traffic Attack (whereby a player must earn a set amount of Crash Dollars through checking traffic), which can be used later on.SEVENTH STORM - Maledictus (Atomic Fire Records )
A new gameplay feature in Burnout Revenge is the ability to ram same-way small to medium traffic, known as 'traffic checking', propelling the rammed car forward the event in which a 'checked' car hits a rival is considered as a Traffic Takedown. These take place within rush-hour traffic, and include circuit racing, Road Rage (where players cause as many rivals to crash as possible within a time limit, or until the player's car is wrecked), Burning Lap (a single-lap, single-racer time attack mode), Eliminator (a circuit race where every thirty seconds, the last-placed racer's car is detonated the race continues until only one racer is left), and Crash (where the player is placed at a junction with the aim of accumulating as many 'Crash Dollars' as possible).
In Burnout Revenge, players compete in a range of racing game types with different aims.