From the (maybe) wonderful city of Wuppertal comes Germany’s (according to some media) new modern Melodic Death Metal hope: HOPELEZZ. Formed in 2009, they immediately started to play every show they were offered, played a good part in an open music contest and by now already shared the stage with with known bands like EISREGEN, FACEBREAKER, ILL NINO or the once known SEPULTURA. "Black Souls Arrive" is their first real album and follows their debut 3-track EP from 2010 (every song of the EP can be found here, too). Listening to the album, it is easy to hear that lots of live shows left their mark. The band is tight and very well skilled. Too sad that neither the songs nor the production can catch up with this… In my ears, nearly every riff sounds interchangeable, no hooks remain in memory and the sound is too clean. Even the melodies come along somehow "second hand". The neo-thrashy vocals are not that much of a brownie point either. But I think the case is not hopeless for HOPELEZZ yet… Time shall tell, if they find their way. Maybe it is the way they walk with the last song (and definite highlight) ‘What You Think About’, with some catchy semi-acoustic breaks and melodies with a light oriental flair. Fans of SOILWORK, newer IN FLAMES or neo Thrash bores like CHIMAIRA might risk an ear or two at the following sites: www.hopelezz.de or www.facebook.com/hopelezzmetal.