I Made My Own Hell

I Made My Own Hell is the second studio album from this Spanish band. Their career began in Vizcaya (Spain) at the end of the 90's, when guitar player Pedro J. Monge decided to form a metal band with the singer/guitarist Carlos Escudero. The first album - Fight To The End - received good press and Vhäldemar was even voted best newcomer band in the Brazilian magazine Rock Brigade. I also admit I appreciate Fight To The End, which is a strong and melodic debut album. Kai Hansen inspires this vocalist. Carlos' high pitch screams reminds you immediately Kai ... and so does the music of Vhäldemar. As we mentioned it for the review of Fight To The End, Gamma Ray and Helloween are the main Vhäldemar source of inspiration. However, where the first albums contained good songs, I Made My Own Hell is much weaker. The song-writing smell so much like Gamma Ray (copy-pasted). The first three tracks (I Made My Own Hell, Breakin' All The Rules, No Return) remind me too much Land of The Free. The fourth track is interestingly different, but the riff has been "stolen" to Rammstein, even though the overall goes fast and still comes in line with Kai Hansen music. The story Old King's Visions (Part III) - fifth track - destroy the tempo (rhythm) of the album. Mystery, the instrument track that follows Old King's Visions (Part III) is another questionable track. I mean it bring nothing new ... except the fact these guys know how to use their guitars. A useless track as far as I am concerned and as I mentioned, these two tracks are a significant brake in the middle of I Made My Own Hell. After seven tracks, there is no killer song spotted. House Of War - a Manorwarish speed track - comes finally out of the wood. But where the singer was "scoring" previously when he imitates Kai, he is far from being impressive in this Eric Adams "role". That's obivious on I Will Raise My Fist. The album ends with March Of Dooms, another instrumental track (?) ... as useless as was the first one :( At the end, there are no killer tracks and you have the feeling to know these tracks by heart. The chorus are pretty tasteless and so is the song-writing. The second album is always difficult to deliver. The time between the first and the second studio album is much shorter compare to the first one (in this case, 1998 to 2002). We will judge the talent of this Spanish band with their third album, but this I Made My Own Hell is a huge step back. Sorry guys ... Jean-Pascal Fournier's cover-art is once again superb ... but it doesn't save Vhäldemar. For fans who want (or buy) everything out of the Heavy/Speed Metal scene.