Band:	Kragens
Album:	Dying In A Desert
Style:	Heavy metal, Power metal, Thrash metal
Release date:	2004

01. Dying In A Desert
02. Carnivore Ritual
03. Kragens
04. Fear
05. Lord Of Chaos
06. Metal Hunter
07. Satan The Killer
08. Nightmare
09. Road Warrior
10. World Made Of Heroes
11. Rise Up Your Fist To Fight
12. Destroying The Temple

Kragens is a new French band and could certainly be one of the sensations of the year for the Metal Scene in France [and maybe too for the Metal Scene all around the world...]. All the guys of this new band [excepted Ludwig] are not newcomers in the French Metal scene. In fact they was in some French band of the 80's, but don't think that Kragens do a music that is in the vein of those old bands. In fact they do an excellent Power/Thrash Metal, we are between bands like Nevermore or Iced Earth. And believe me, this first album is a damn great surprise. "Dying In A Desert" is a powerful album with a ton of excellent songs and for me, we will hear of that band very soon.


"Dying In A Desert" is an excellent album, there is no doubt on that point. This first production of this band from the south of France is more than promising. As I said sooner in this review, it's very easy to feel that those musicians are not newcomers. This is a really good point for the band. All the musicians of Kragens are good. The thundering double bass drums are damn effective the lines of the bass are damn good too. The two guitars are more than excellent too. The rhythmic of Cédric Sellier are aggressive, the riffs of that album are catchy, and we are near of the ones of an Iced Earth or bands like that for example. Ludwig Laperche is a very good guitarist too, he is only 19, but this solo are great and when I see his level now, I must say that we will hear of him in the metal scene soon. You'll see, if you listen this album you couldn't disagree with me on that point. For the vocals, the voice of Renaud Espeche is good too. I mean that his voice is powerful, sometime aggressive sometime more "Heavy" [in the style] but the sing of Renaud always give a lot of power to the music of Kragens. At the end with in addition the Death Metal voices of Alex of Agressor and Blackie of Mörg; "Dying In A Desert" sound great and the vocals parts are just excellent.
The lyrics are good too [we have a track in German on that album] and with the quality of writing on that album believe me that this "Dying In A Desert" will certainly have a lot of good returns.

The production of this album is also perfect. The sound is excellent, recorded at NSR Studio and mixed at LB Lab by the master Stephane Buriez, we have this big sound that we want when we listen a Power Metal band.
The artwork, are done by one other master, JP Pournier, and another time with him, we have an excellent cover and artwork. Good choice of the band another time.
A great sound a great artwork; we have the entire component to do that this album could be a masterpiece.


"Dying In A Desert" is an excellent surprise. This is an excellent album of Power / Thrash Metal, and I can only recommend this album to all the guys who like really good music.
Kragens is here now and again I will confirm that we will hear of them. "Ding In A Desert" is an excellent album and for a first try, Kragens has done something great. Nothing to say more, "buy it or die!!!".