Much like Arkaea, I've been patiently awaiting Tenet's debut album and the fact that the former's first album was so unimaginably horrible made me truly fear the worst for Sovereign. Thankfully, this album from three ex-members of Strapping Young Lad and three west-coast thrash vets (Gene Hoglan counts as both. Then again, Gene Hoglan is the living embodiment of heavy metal so he counts as a lot of things) is far better than I thought that it would be.
One thing that I noticed is that even though I've never liked Exodus, Steve Souza doesn't sound nearly as annoying here as he did during his Exodus days (as in he's not annoying at all on Sovereign) which makes me believe that Zetro never sucked. Gary Holt just likes annoying as fuck vocalists. (Has anyone ever listened to Exodus because of the frontman? Really, they've never excelled in that regard.) Oh, and as far as Exodus is concerned, Zetro was not only the definitive Exodus frontman, he was also their best.
As can be expected from Gene Hoglan (Death, Unearth, Dark Angel, Strapping Young Lad, Old Man's Child, Dethklok, Testament), this album is fast. Then again, he's widely regarded as a virtuoso - and perhaps the greatest drummer alive today after Neil Peart - so it's a given that this album is going to be fast as hell with many complicated fills being played. Then again, Arkaea also had a world-class drum performance but Years in the Darkness was atrocious. What sets Sovereign apart would be both better musical ideas, better guitar work and the fact that Zetro doesn't do a poor imitation of Chester Bennington.
The best part about Tenet is that it doesn't sound like SYL, Exodus or Forbidden and is something new, fresh, and the sum of its parts rather than one member's influences. The solos are great, the riffs are great, even Zetro is great. Check this fucker out.
8/10
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