Fæded Reality – Dark Times

Richard Baboun (Guitars) was kind to send me his band’ debut album in CD format for review. The moniker of his band is Fæded Reality, and they’re playing Heavy & Thrash Metal. Apart from Richard, Fæded Reality consists of four other members, namely; Alexander Rosskopf (Drums), Michael Baliko (Guitars), Dominik Dostal (Vocals) and Alexander Katikaridis (Bass). The band was formed at the beginning of 2020 in the heart of Austrian capital, Vienna.

Dark Times is their debut 10-tracker full-length released independently. Already with the first tones of an opening “Intro” one can sense what to expect from this relatively young and up-coming quintet from Austria. They’re clearly inspired by some of the genre giants and greatest Thrash Metal acts (esp. with a Testament vibe!), that were also my heroes in the 80s. Their mission is clear; to honor and continue the raw energy and intensity of the genre.

Alexander Katikaridis on bass is a powerful presence, in what he offers musically laying the foundation for much of their sound. Drum duties are safe with the powerful and varied drumming from Alexander Rosskopf. The volume and heaviness that he brings to the sound of the band adds a great deal of aggression to the overall essence of their experience. Richard Baboun (lead) and Michael Baliko (rhythm) on guitars has a lot of heavy lifting to do, because they sit behind the stirring wheel and dictates the direction of where the tracks go. Finally, Dominik Dostal on vocals does a decent job. He has a great vocal range and adds so much volume to the overall sound of the band. He adds aggression, intensity, grit and atmosphere to every single song of Fæded Reality.

Thus, in general terms, their sound is composed of fast paced riffs, aggressive drumming, shouting and snarling style of vocals. It’s an intense piece of music; a hybrid of NWOBHM with classic Thrash Metal, seasoned with hardcore punk and some modern influences. Speaking of ‘modern’, the production is more modern and clean that one would expect from a band that honors the sound of the 80s Thrash Metal. On the other hand, it’s good to see them paying attention to every details about their band, be it production, cover artwork, song structures or their handling of the instruments. Lyrical themes are mainly on war, destruction, inner struggles, fights, revenge etc.

My favourites from Dark Times are mainly two tracks, band’s first and second singles, “From Within” (watch below) and the following “Spy”. The album ends on a high note with its longest track called “The Mercenary”.

I think that the guys from Fæded Reality know very well that this is not the most innovative nor the most ground-breaking album out there, but it was never their intention with the release of Dark Times. The guys seems to have had a great deal of fun while in a process of creating their much-anticipated engaging debut, and they can be proud of their first opus. The future of (Austrian/European) Thrash Metal looks as bright as ever. Recommended for fans of Testament, Metallica, Megadeth, Slipknot, Stone Sour, Five Finger Death Punch etc.

For more info on this up-and-coming yet promising five-piece act from Vienna then visit their official site at https://faededreality.com/