Belgian band 15 REASONS was formed back in 2005, and through 10 years of activity they released three full length albums, of which “The Art of Commitment”, released through Graviton Music Services in 2014, turned out to be the last to come from this threesome – as they disbanded just before Christmas in 2015.

I don’t know much about the past history of this band, but if their final album is something to go bye they must have been a fun band to follow in the years they were active. Heavy metal is the name of the game for their music, and one with a firm footing inside grunge at that from what I can hear, with some detours into alternative metal territories and also a bit of old school thrash Metallica style.

I find the band to be at their most interesting when they focus on dark toned, riff based compositions, and the opening quartet on this disc is an uplifting journey into compositions where gnarly, dark and vibrant guitar riffs are explored for everything they are worth in circulating, powerful and surging landscapes that have a distinct compelling flavor to them. Grunge at the core from what I can hear, with some light flavoring arguably pulled from the alternative metal scene.

As this album unfolds the songs take on more sophisticated tendencies, with some songs sporting gentler, delicate interludes, transitions and sequences adding a ballad-oriented touch to them, the guitar soloing is more inventive with shrill and psychedelic touches applied here and there, as well as some playful wah wah moments on a few select occasions, and those fond of flowing, elegant guitar solo overlays and harmony based solo runs of a similar nature gets their fill here as well. On occasion sounding a bit like Rush on some of those tunes, at least in the gentler parts of them.

Towards the end we’re also shown why Metallica was a stated influence on the sound of this band, first and foremost due to some of the central passages in the almost magical title track The Art of Commitment where the archetypal chugging old school thrash riffs of Metallica are pulled in to a creative, joyful instrumental affair, where there band also takes care to incorporate some of their gentler sides in a song that possibly might have been this band’s personal answer to Metallica’s Call of Ktulu, albeit without the brooding undertones.

All in all I found 15 Reasons’ swansong album to be an enjoyable one through and through. The variety of the material perhaps something of a weak side for some, but personally an aspect of this disc I appreciated. The opening quartet of songs and the concluding instrumental title track the most interesting of the lot, as they have a nerve and a tension that is somewhat lacking when the band explore their more ambitious sides, but other than the somewhat odd Alyson Wonderland this is a strong production by a fine band. I’d suggest that those as fond of bands classified as grunge as they are of those described as alternative metal might give this one a spin, especially by those who also enjoy an occasional slice of mid 80’s Metallica in that crowd.

My rating: 76/100