Human Flytrap is the new album from Canadian metallers Random Damage. Drummer Ray Hartmann used to be in top metal band Annihilator, whilst guitarist Dean Boland and bassist John Prutton were both formerly members of Doomsayer. The band is completed by ex-Aragathor vocalist / guitarist Jonas Falle. Apparently the band originally formed in 1994 but I believe this is only their second album, following 1996’s self-titled debut. 

For references, the band are most certainly a traditional metal outfit and comparisons with Annihilator are not far off the mark, whilst there is also a slightly modern tinge to them as well. There is definitely a melodic edge to the all-out fury which the band is also capable of and this makes the band a more interesting proposition as a result. 

Vocalist Falle has a really decent voice which suits the material down to the ground, however for me, the material is not quite strong enough overall to raise the band above countless others of their peers. I’d really like to hear him with some top notch material as I think he could be a real superstar...perhaps he needs to share out the writing duties a tad more to achieve this. Even when they come up with a way above average track like “Tanqueray”, it is ruined by a dreadful backing vocal in the chorus which spoils what is otherwise a really decent metal song. 

I can’t say that I thought the album was bad, because it is much better than that, but at the same time I can’t say it did much for me either. This type of powerful band usually finds me coming down quite decisively in the love it or hate it camp, but this one has left me very much on the fence. Perhaps such apathy is a sign in itself that this one won’t be getting any more playing time on my stereo, especially in light of how many other, much better, albums I have heard this year. 

This album is being released as a Limited Edition 2CD with guitarist Dean Boland’s solo EP, In My Corner, as the bonus disc. Boland handles all guitar and vocal duties, whilst Hartmann again provides the drums and Andrew Johns adds piano, organ and strings. The music is almost a polar opposite to the Random Damage album and showcases Boland’s very diverse musical interests. He is cited as influenced by The Beatles, Blue Oyster Cult (very much so if a couple of these tracks are anything to go by) and the Foo Fighters and this EP certainly strays more into that kind of territory, with stripped back and mellow tracks, rather than the metal output of his full-time band. If anything, I prefer the style of this release to the main CD whilst again I would have to conclude that there other bands putting out similar material and Boland, whilst good, does nothing to make this a standout release in any way. 

In summary, this double CD package represents good value for money and has several real plus points but overall, but just wasn’t my cup of tea, although there was enough on offer to mean it will certainly appeal to some of you.

Let us know your views on And Human Flytrap

Track Listing

Hippocritic
Burn
Spinless
Walk Away
Tanqueray
Amplify
Man Of Sin
Future Now

Line Up

Ray Hartmann - Drums
Dean Boland - Guitars
Jonas Falle - Jonas Falle