I was pretty excited when I found out that I’d get to review the EP for the upcoming PS3 game God of War: Blood & Metal — being both the huge gamer and music fan that I am. Roadrunner Records was nice enough to send it our way and I’m grateful for it. The EP consists of 6 tracks and includes big names from the RR roster like Killswitch Engage, Opeth and Dream Theater. It’s a pretty gnarly set of tunes to game to. Since this is a pretty short album, I’m just gonna go through and touch on every song.

Killswitch Engage sets the pace with their signature combination of breakneck melody, brutally sharp guitars and Howard Jones’ soaring voice in the song “My Obsession.” Being the Killswitch fan that I am, this song immediately fit the bill for me, as well as being a good opener to the soundtrack. The song swings from a blistering fast tempo all the way down to the opposite end of the spectrum in some of the breakdowns. No Killswitch song is complete without an infectious chorus and “My Obsession” is no exception.

Trivium keeps the pace going with “Shattering The Skies Above.” If the fatal fret work, blistering screams and mach speed tempo don’t feed your desire to button-mash every enemy in your path, I don’t know what will. Maybe metal music and God of War aren’t your thing (there’s always Pac Man and Beyoncé). This song melds metal and hardcore characteristics, while offering some heavier nuances that create a pleasing mix of metal goodness. Another fitting song for a God of War game in my opinion.

Next on the roster is Dream Theater and their track “Raw Dog.” This song is everything you would expect from these purveyors of progressive. It’s also an instrumental so the band’s monstrous amount of talent is displayed in full form. Unrivaled guitar solos, countless change ups, intricate drum fills, these guys have it all. Anyone that is anyone knows that Dream Theater’s musicians have talent in epic proportions and this song is by far no exception to the rule. The track almost sounds like one big jam session. It’s a song that every rock fan should appreciate on some level.

Following up is Taking Dawn with their track “This Is Madness.” Although I felt like the momentum and presentation changed a little when this track came on, I felt like it was still appropriate. With a chorus that has the words “we are the sword, we are the spear, we are Sparta, know no fear” how could it not fit? Taking Dawn changes it up with their power metal sound, which is a bit of a departure from the metal that opened things up. Although I’m not a huge fan of power metal, the song is fun and the lyrics suit this soundtrack well. It’s an entertaining edition to the soundtrack, despite the satire. Chris Babbitt soars into the stratosphere with his high notes on the chorus.

With the song “Throat of Winter,” Opeth takes us on an atmospheric acoustic journey that almost seemed to illustrate the story at hand. This song is a huge departure from the metal aspects of the EP, but stands by itself. It’s a combination of intricate acoustic work, vocals that echo into oblivion and different sound effects. It has a lot of Arabian characteristics and was an overall intriguing listen. It engulfs you in its atmosphere and eclectic sound.

Mutiny Within closes the EP up with the fittingly titled song “The End.” The track is commanded by powerhouse vocals and emotionally charged power, while the blistering double bass and rich toms give it that memorable ribcage-rattling pummel. The chorus is soaring and absolutely infectious. If there was one song I played repetitively, it was this one. Volume. Cranked.

The God of War: Blood & Metal EP is a gnarly mix of metal and progressive. I enjoyed different characteristics of each track and thought it was pleasantly diversified. Standout songs for me are The End, Raw Dog and Throat of Winter. The only thing I would ask of the EP is that it become a full album of 10 to 12 songs. Mainly because I liked what was there and wanted more of it. Overall I enjoyed listening to this one.

4.0/5