Die Apokalyptischen Reiter - Moral & Wahnsinn (2011)

Tracklist:
01. Die Boten
02. Gib dich hin
03. Hammer oder Amboß
04. Dir gehört nichts
05. Dr. Pest
06. Moral & Wahnsinn
07. Erwache
08. Heimkehr
09. Wir reiten
10. Hört auf
11. Ein liebes Lied

Country: Germany
Genre: Folk/death/rock/punk metal
Label: Nuclear Blast
Released: February 25:th, 2011
Website: http://www.reitermania.de

Line-up:
Fuchs - vocals
Ady - guitars
Volk-Man - bass
Dr. Pest - keyboards
Sir G. - drums

Germany's Die Apokalyptischen Reiter are a strange bunch. Having eight (counting this one) albums under their belt, they've gone through a lot of musical changes, the only thing remaining constant is their quirkiness, their peculiar penchant for mixing different styles of metal into their sound and making it work. Their early albums featured pretty much everything from folk to death to black to rock 'n' roll to punk. Generally they would keep stick to a genre within a certain song, but when listened to in its entirety, an early Reiter output would offer a veritable smorgasbord of styles.

Then something happened. 2008's Licht was pretty much a departure from the mix 'n' match antics of previous albums, featuring instead a more 'streamlined' and, if you will, 'accessible' sound. That's not a bad thing, mind you, it's just that, if you come into the show at this time, having heard All You Need Is Love or Have A Nice Trip and expecting more of that, well, that's not what you're getting.

But Licht is not the focus point of this review; Moral & Wahnsinn is. The title translates into Morality & Insanity, the latter being the keyword here. Honestly, when I listen to this band, this is something that strikes me: How they manage to control insanity, to package it down into songs, to make music of it. Vocalist Fuchs has a pleasant and smooth voice and croons with heartfelt panache. The lyrics are sung completely in German and touch upon subjects of a day-to-day philosophical nature, offering little 'morality' lessons. Come to think of it, the Moral in the album's title may allude to the lyrics, while the Wahnsinn is about the musical content, or at least that may be what they are going for. Although not overtly crazy or zany or anything, the punky/folkish take on tradidtional bang-your-fucking-head heavy metal riffs that Die Apokalyptischen Reiter do is very refreshing and, more importantly, enjoyable.

Favorite songs would be opener "Die Boten" (translates loosely as "The Messengers"), the seemingly simplistic, but effective, "Hammer oder Amboß" ("Hammer or Anvil"), "Dr. Pest" (a song that oozes of vaudeville and spooky chamber music, allegedly being an hommage to the band's keyboardist) and "Erwache", which sports a very catchy chorus and, to me, sums up pretty nicely what Die Apokalyptischen Reiter anno 2011 are all about.

In conclusion: The band have honed their songwriting skills and seemingly found their niche (i.e. their "new" sound) and seem to be content with it, resulting in an album that is enjoyable on many levels, not the least of which being that you get to think AND throw your fists in the air. Good stuff.

Mercenary - Metamorphosis (2011)

Tracklist:
01. Through The Eyes Of The Devil
02. The Follower
03. In A River Of Madness
04. Memoria
05. Velvet Lies
06. In Bloodred Shades
07. Shades Of Grey
08. On The Edge Of Sanity
09. The Black Brigade

Country: Denmark
Genre: Melodic death metal/power metal
Label: NoiseArt Records
Released: February 25:th, 2011
Website: http://www.mercenary.dk

Line-up:
René Pedersen - vocals, bass
Martin Buus - guitars, keyboards
Martin Mølbjerg - guitars
Morten Løwe Sørensen - drums

The first time I heard Danish bruisers Mercenary I was floored, more or less. And that was when listening to The Hours That Remain (2006), an album that is considerably more 'mellow' (if such a term can even be applied) than the rest of the band's material. The almost angelic voice of Mikkel Sandager (since departed) had lots to do with that, as well as the band's almost perfect understanding of what makes melodic and catchy melodies and clean vocals mix with brutally bonecrushing riffage and harsh vocals. The group then released Architect Of Lies in 2008, and had, more or less, and as far as I'm concerned, reached the top of awesome. That album is just packed to the brim with good songs, folks, you better believe it. You had stuff that was almost radio friendly getting along just well with nigh-on death metal parts. The relatively new bass player René Pedersen provided growls and harsh vocals and his part, as well as Sandager's, were huge factors in what made, and still makes, Architect Of Lies so appealing to me. Not to diminish the efforts of the rest of the band; I'm just trying to pinpoint what made this band stand out to me, and to many others.

Then Mikkel Sandager left, along with keyboardist Morten Sandager and drummer Mike Park Nielsen. Lesser bands would have folded there and then, but the rest of the band decided to carry on, in the process giving sort of an ironic nod in the way of their band name. They recorded an album called Metamorphosis, the cover of which features the Phoenix rising out of the ashes. All of this sends a pretty clear message, right? 'We're NOT dead, motherfuckers!'

I'm just gonna lay it out there: Metamorphosis is more than a fan could have hoped for at this point. The production is slick and clear, bringing the excellent guitarwork of duo Buus/Mølbjerg to the forefront, the drums underpin the songs well, carrying the verses into blistering choruses when necessary, providing solid rhythms work elsewhen. The bass is audible, but not really a show stealer. That's ok, as the band were probably thinking of Renés double duties in a live situation. And that brings us to, well, René.

The dude can do deep vocals, the dude can growl, and - by jove - the dude can sing! In fact, it's almost uncanny the way he sort of resembles Mikkel Sandager when he does clean vocals. I'm not sure the band was aware of his singing abilities when recruiting him, but either way, they certainly struck gold there. I'm not just saying this: Compare Metamorphosis to Architect Of Lies and, to some extent, The Hours That Remain. The similarities are obvious, but René holds his own, with gusto. If he can do growls AND cleans live, then frankly he's the perfect frontman.

Songwise, all of the tunes on Metamorphosis are growers. You need to come back to them, need to let their nuances and layers weave their magic around you. Sure, there are some songs with more or less instant gratification - first single choice "The Follower" comes to mind. This is a classic Mercenary track; if you loved the previous two records, you will love this. While some may pin the inability to pick out a certain track down to a lack of good material, I assure you, that is not the case. It's simply that all the songs on Metamorphosis share a quality, wheter abrasive and in your face or mellow and thoughtful (and most of them share all these qualities within the same song), and all of this puts a stamp on the brand of music that says: 'This is us, this is what we do, and we believe in what we do.' You know what, Mercenary? So do I.

Power Quest - Master Of Illusion (2008)

Tracklist:
01. Cemetery Gates
02. Human Machine
03. Civilised?
04. Kings Of Eternity
05. Master Of Illusion
06. The Vigil
07. Save The World
08. Hearts And Voices
09. I Don't Believe In Friends Forever
10. Never Again

Country: Great Britain
Genre: Power metal
Label: Napalm Records
Released: March 26:th, 2008
Website: http://www.power-quest.co.uk

Line-up:
Alessio Garavello - vocals, rhythm guitars
Andrea Martongelli - lead guitars
Steve Scott - bass
Steve Williams - keyboards
Francesco Tresca - drums

I am twenty-seven years old.

What, you may ask yourself, does this have to do with Power Quest and their brand-spankin' new album Master Of Illusion? It has everything to do with it. Let me explain: I feel that I have come to a stage of maturity in my life where I can actually tell what I want from life and what I am ready to give in return. As an adult human being, what I want most in life is this: Happiness. A sense of detachment from life. A place to breathe. Somewhere I can escape to, if only for a short while, and experience nothing but bliss.

This is where Power Quest enter. For those of you familiar with my reviews of their earlier albums Neverworld (2004) and Magic Never Dies (2005) you should know that I consider the band one of my top-five bands, any category, anytime. Like few other bands, these guys manage to deliver one catchy tune after another, whilst sacrificing nothing whatsoever in terms of musicianship or diversity. You see, Power Quest do not simply stick to any one kind of music. The basis is melodic metal, but they switch from up-tempo to mid-tempo to ballad so effortlessly you'd think they have done nothing in their lives but this. There is a strong sense of diversity in all their albums, with the debut perhaps constituting an exception (which doesn't mean it's not good). And Steve Williams's divine abilities in the catchy-songwriting-department are so good it's almost ridiculous.

Anyway, I digress. The point I'm trying to make here is that you know what you get with Power Quest, but only in that you know you'll get quality. Their newest offering Master Of Illusion is a prime example of that. Two things are clear right from the start: They've become heavier (not that strange, since frontman Alessio Garavello's started playing rhythm guitar), and they've slowed down in tempo somewhat. Not to worry, however: The double bass is there, yet it is used sparingly and more wisely than before. This is something that really did not sink in with me until after a few spins. What they've done, though, is incorporate more changes in tempo within songs ("The Vigil" being a fine example). You still have "regular" up-tempo tracks like "Kings Of Eternity" and "Never Again" (the former of which boasts a chorus larger than life, somewhere between "Galaxies Unknown" and "Strike Force"), so don't worry. If there is one complaint (which really would be nit-picking, by the way) I've had in the past it would be the fact that the rhythm guitars could stand to get somewhat crunchier. Presto! Ten seconds into opening track "Cemetery Gates" you're just know that this is an improvement for the band. I'd not go so far as to call the guitars "aggressive", but they're definitely heavier and more to the forefront. After all, this is rock 'n roll, so this evolution is definitely for the better.

I'm not going to go over each track this time, but I've just got to give a special mention to one song. Before even hearing the new album, I'd been going over the songs in my head, trying to figure out what kind of tunes they'd be, just by reading the titles. I had "Save The World" pegged down as an up-tempo track, which it is not. It is something that really does not need such worldly descriptions as "up-tempo" or "mid-tempo." Instead, it is something out of this world, a creation so glorious and beautiful that, along with "Kings Of Eternity" and "The Vigil", it has to be one of my favorites. The key change at the end of this song gives me goosebumps.

The best part of this album, though, lies in the fact that it gives me something new each time. I still haven't figured it out completely, and I hope I never do. This is an album I want to go back to, again and again. From me, there can be no higher praise. The five members of Power Quest have created a whole that fills that quota of happiness I spouted off about at the start of this review. I can wander off to my breathing place now, carrying with me Alessio's voice, Andrea's guitar, Steve S's bass-lines, Steve W's keyboard licks and Francesco's incredible drumming. They did it again, folks.

(Originally written sometime in 2008 [I reckon]).

Power Quest - Blood Alliance (2011)

Tracklist:
01. Battle Stations
02. Rising Anew
03. Glorious
04. Sacrifice
05. Survive
06. Better Days
07. Crunching The Numbers
08. Only In My Dreams
09. Blood Alliance
10. City Of Lies
11. Time To Burn (Japanese bonus track)

Country: Great Britain
Genre: Power metal
Label: Napalm Records
Released: March 25:th 2011
Website: http://www.power-quest.co.uk

Line-up:
Chitral "Chity" Somapala - vocals
Andy Midgley - guitars
Gav Owen - guitars
Paul Finnie - bass
Steve Williams - keyboards
Rich Smith - drums

Life is a quest. Along the way you will face adversities; that is a universal guarantee. People deal differently with the hardships coming their way, but for many, a solace can be found in music. To me, that has rung all too true all my life, and especially when it comes to the sub-genre known as power metal. One of the bands I have been an admirer of for quite a while now is the British troupe Power Quest. The band used to be pretty multi-cultural at one point, featuring more Italians than, well, Italy (almost), but as fate would have it, most of the members left the band in 2009. One who remained steadfast, however, was band founder and principal songwriter Steve Williams, who decided that the Quest indeed had to go on. He recruited new members, penned some of the catchiest songs this side of Helloween‘s Keeper Of The Seven Keys, part II or the band’s own magnum opus (as far as I’m concerned), 2005′s Magic Never Dies.

To say that I was eager to get my scrubby little mittens on this jewel would be the understatement of the year. I have no problem admitting that I’m a fanboy, but there is also the fact that I believe that people who put out quality music deserve honesty. Would I be able to review an album from one of my favorite bands if I felt the material to be sub-par? While I don’t believe Power Quest have ever released anything bad, I was left a little underwhelmed by 2008′s Master Of Illusion. Sure, there were gems here and there, but as a whole, it didn’t click for me in the way the aforementioned Magic Never Dies had, or the first two albums for that matter.

I need not have worried, however. It can be said upfront: Blood Alliance ranks right up there alongside Magic Never Dies, and it represents a rejuvenation of a band some may have counted out at this point (the gloriously catchy opener ”Rising Anew” lyrically alludes to this). First of all, this record has the best production, bar none, of any Power Quest album, ever. The overall sound picture is rich and full, the guitars sound chunky in that meaty way that is an absolute must in order to bring some balls to the walls, and the bass emits thumping pulses of epic win and the drums envelop it all in rolling blasts of rhythm ownage that completes the package. Ok, one must not forget the keyboards. Even though it is pretty obvious the creator of these songs is a keyboarder, he is a wise enough songwriter never to let any instrument get in the way of the tune. Every solo here has its place, whether it be of guitar origin or synth.

Oh, and the songs themselves. Forgive me for being longwinded, but each and everyone deserves a mention. ”Battle Stations”, the instrumental opening track is a decidedly more guitar oriented affair than the previously more orchestral intros we’re used to. It kicks ass and takes no prisoners. The new guitarists duel as if their axes were on fire and raise the bar pretty high for what’s to come. But have no fear, we’re in for a smorgasbord of melodic metal treats. The aforementioned ”Rising Anew” and first song proper is a galloping power metal treat that could only have been penned my Mr. Williams. The verses, bridge and chorus are so ridiculously catchy in their up-tempo pomp you cannot help but grin. New vocalist Chitral ”Chity” Somapala (Firewind, Avalon) feels so natural in his delivery one can only marvel at the fact that this is his first outing with the band. He has a warm voice with a wonderful vibrato and lends believability to the line ”For you my friends we carry on …” (a nice nod towards the fans and goosebump inducing moment for sure). ”Glorious” is just that. Starting off relatively fast, it slows down for the chorus, which comes as a surprise, but works very well. Lyrically, this is a tune that seeks to comfort (”Over rainbows and stars/you can be sure I’ll be there/When you’re feeling alone/These are the words that will lift up your heart…”). ”Sacrifice” offers the first of many homages to the 80′s. Power Quest have always offered a healthy mix of up-tempo power metal songs and more 1980′s like mid-tempo stadium anthems. This one features a chorus that comes straight out of the ”HOW-TO-PEN-A-SONG-THAT-WILL-HAVE-FANS-SINGING-ALONG-IN-NO-TIME-BOOK”.) You will eat this right up if you’ve ever heard one Van Halen song and liked it. ”Survive” comes next, and blazes along the same trails as ”Sacred Land” (off Neverworld) or ”Strike Force” (Magic Never Dies). The pre-chorus is liquid pride injected into veins long ago dulled by time and circumstance. This is also a prime example of when a keyboard is an absolute must.

”Better Days” is another anthemic mid-tempo affair in the vein of ”Sacrifice”. While that song is great, this is even better. The verses, well I don’t know how to describe it, but they slay. ”Crunching The Numbers” is new Quest territory. This song comes off as quite progressive and features some of the hardest riffs in the band history. Being my least favorite song, it has nonetheless grown on me immensely, and I commend the band for daring to branch out in different directions. Lyrically, this tune deals with the recent economic crisis and its effect on the small man. ”Only In My Dreams” is a ballad without being a ballad. The verses have a distinct 80′s feel to them, at times reminding me of Europe. I get the feeling this song is a love letter (”Hold me now/And stay forever/Till the sky comes crashing down”). Around 04:25 Chity croons in such a way that even the most hardened cynics (myself included) cannot help but get goosebumps … again. The title track and ”mini epic” is a mid-tempo song of many faces. Originally disappointed by the lack of speed in this tune, it has since come to dawn on me exactly why the opposite serves the song better. Again, believability in the way Chity sings (”We are so innocent/We call for mercy/We are the ones who will remain/Unheard of”), is the key. The song also features a distinctly Van Halen-esque keyboard riff that lightens things up a bit. Finally we have ”City Of Lies”, a song that thematically seems to link to ”Neverworld (Power Quest part II)” off Neverworld. Toward the end of the former song, the piano outro of the latter makes an appearance, coated in a distinct vinyl crackle that fills me with connotations I have yet to explore fully. (”Nowhere to hide/In the city of lies/No one to turn to/Life’s on the line.”) Thus a connection has been established between this album and the band’s prior work, a red thread that ties together, but also points out what’s different this time around.

I realize I’ve been going on here, which is ironic, as the songs on Blood Alliance never overstay their welcome, despite being rather lengthy. This just goes to show that when you have a captain who’s earned his stripes on board, you can rest assured the trip’s going to be smooth. That’s not saying there is not food for thought here – on the contrary – just that it’s all coated in a ‘pride-in-the-profession’ thing that’ll leave you thankful there still are bands like these around. Okay, so maybe I would have liked some more speed toward the end of the album, but even that is a minor complaint and not really an issue anymore. Other than that, I would just like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the band for enriching my life in so many ways, and for bringing the words and tunes that lift up my heart and put a smile on my face when I’m down.

Power Quest – I salute you. Forever may the Quest go on!

(originally published on cronopio.se February 17:th, 2011)

Nemesis - Goddess Of Revenge (2003)

Tracklist:
01. The Mission
02. Servant Of Will
03. Desert Of Your Sins
04. Queen Of Fate
05. Host From Kingdom Of Lion
06. Rain
07. Crystal Eyes
08. Mercenary
09. Heaven’s Fall
10. Last Heretic

Country: Czech Republic
Genre: Power metal
Label: Underground Symphony
Released: 2003
Website: http://www.symphonity.com

Line-up:
Vilém Majtner - vocals
Libor Krivák - guitars
Tomas Celechovsky - bass
Ivo Hofmann - keyboards
Martin Škaroupka - drums

Czech Republic’s Nemesis probably made the career move of their lives by recruiting German powerhouse vocalist Olaf Hayer (Dionysus, Luca Turilli) and changing their name to Symphonity, thus more accurately reflecting their musical style (bombastic power metal, in case you hadn’t noticed). However, let us not forget that there once was a band that released a pretty good album called Goddess of Revenge back in 2003. Not as overblown as 2008′s Voice from the Silence, this debut album nevertheless offers the listener a solid 3/4 of an hour’s worth of European power metal, pinning down a sound pretty similar to Italian contemporaries and forerunners of the genre.

Even though there is nothing here to differentiate the band from thousands of others in style or execution, there are, however, some very good songs on display, as well as a vocalist that, although partially lacking in range, makes up for it by lending the songs an aura of passion that makes them stick. Yes, Vilém Majtner’s voice may not be among the most technical of them all, and most certainly not among leaders of the pack, but something in the way he sings makes me think he’s actually very intent on making the listener feel the importance of what he is trying to convey. It is hard to explain, but there is a passion there, as if the message just needs to come across to whomever is listening.

Some songs stand out above the others, glittering like little pieces of gold among their brethren. For instance, ”Rain” boasts a melody line so sad yet beautiful that I cannot not mention it. Penultimate (unless you count the outro ”Last Heretic” a proper song) ”Mercenary” as well as ”Heaven’s Fall” would be two other favorites. The former sports a very infectious chorus around the 2:30 mark, and the latter is a fantastic power metal song altogether, hitting you over the head with a chorus so bombastic and anthemic one cannot help but silently singing along to it just about every time. This would be my favorite song overall, and a perfect way of ending an album (last songs are underrated, they can be as important, if not more so, as openers).

The production on the album is rather dry, and the rest of the band, while competent, offers nothing ”extra”. Yet the songs on this disc make it worth the while. One can only hope they play some of these tunes live, as they are too good to fall into oblivion.

(originally published on cronopio.se February 9:th, 2011)

Instanzia - Ghosts (2010)

Tracklist:
01. Omen
02. Ghosts of the Past
03. Power of the Mind
04. Charming Deceiver
05. Heavenly Hell
06. A Genius Who Believes
07. The Key
08. The Desert Fox

Country: Canada
Genre: Power Metal
Label: Metalodic Records
Released: November 22:nd, 2010
Website: http://www.myspace.com/instanzia

Line-up:
Alexis Woodbury - vocals & guitars
Jean-Christophe Binette - guitars
Alexandre Paquin - bass
Francis Ducharme - drums

The year 2010 saw one of the best newcomers to the melodic power metal scene – I’m talking about Instanzia from Quebec, Canada – a band that with Ghosts managed to deliver one of the freshest sounding (however much I love this genre, that still has to be a feat) albums in many a moon. Virtually unheard of prior to this outing, this young band shows more than a hint of promise with these seven songs + intro. We’re talking power metal in the European school: Double bass, intense fretwork, subtle keyboard backdrops and highly melodic and catchy choruses. While they’re not going to win any prizes for innovation anytime soon that doesn’t really matter when the material on hand is just so damn good.

Although a bit on the short side – the album clocks in at just below 48 minutes – Instanzia still manage to keep fresh the old device ‘quality over quantity’. After the alluring intro track ”Omen” segues into the first song proper ”Ghosts of the Past” and vocalist/guitarist Alex Newbury opens his mouth, you’d be pretty correct in assuming you’re in for nary an hour’s worth of quality Euro power, with one catchy chorus giving way to another, all backed up by a solid rhythm section and a moderate use of keyboard that appears in just the right sections. Oh, and there’s also the occasional blistering guitar solo, so lovers of that will get their share of that too. While never straying from a comfortable mid-range, Newbury’s vocals still convey the power necessary to make these tunes convincing.

Pretty much everything on offer here is of a solid and even quality, but there will always be personal favorites among the songs, so of course you’ll get to know mine: Opener and the aforementioned ”Ghost of the Past” boasts a terrific chorus that you’ll be singing for days and in the shower (yup, no kidding), ”Heavenly Hell” morphs into a kind of Keldian like symphonic chorus at around 2:20 minutes. I love the Norwegian band, so that is high praise indeed. The last track and the ‘magnum opus’ is ”The Desert Fox”, which tells the story of the German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, known as, yeah, the desert fox, and his endeavors during WWII. This song is song is approximately 11 minutes and ”Heavenly Hell” is just below nine minutes, yet they never drag on, which just goes to show that these guys have the songwriting chops too.

All in all, this is a very promising debut. I really can’t find any downsides to this album, and nitpicking on a record this good would only do the band a disservice. I recommend you pick it up if you’re into mid-tempo to upbeat power metal with choruses the musical equivalent of cotton candy. It’s going to be interesting to see where these guys go from here.

(originally published on cronopio.se January 28:th, 2011)

Seven Thorns - Return To The Past (2010)

Tracklist:
01. Liberty
02. End Of The Road
03. Through The Mirror
04. Freedom Call
05. Countdown
06. Forest Majesty
07. Spread Your Wings
08. Fires And Storms
09. Return To The Past

Country: Denmark/Sweden
Genre: Power Metal
Label: Nightmare Records
Released: November 23:d, 2010
Website: http://www.myspace.com/seventhorns

Line-up:
Erik 'EZ' Blomkvist - vocals
Gabriel Tuxen - guitars
Christian Balslev Strøjer - guitars
Nicolaj Marker - bass
Asger W. Nielsen - keyboards
Lars 'Laske' Borup - drums

Let me be honest here. I love power metal, especially the kind perfected by bands like Helloween, Gamma Ray, Stratovarius and Edguy. It seems this kind of power metal with its fist-in-the-air, sing-along-friendly choruses and blisteringly triumphant instrumental skills, as opposed to the more ‘raw’ American brand, is a predominantly European phenomenon, although naturally there are exceptions. It should come as no suprise then, that Danish power metallers Seven Thorns (previously 7thorns), release an album very much in the vein of aforementioned bands and most certainly worthy of similar accolade.

I first came across these guys by way of their debut album Glow of Dawn, somewhere around 2007 or thereabouts. Now this albums is regarded by the band as ‘a lost album’ that is more or less unofficial. I have a very solid copy obtained from the band back then that says differently, however. Since then, more or less the entire band – with the exception of the drummer – has been replaced, so Return To The Past is, for all intents and purposes, a rebirth.

Yet the band has done no more than polish their already pretty obvious power metal roots, improved the songwriting somewhat, switched the soloing up a notch, got themselves a fittingly meaty production ( with mastering courtesy of Tommy Hansen). Come to think of it, that’s pretty impressive as it stands.

What I love about this band is that they play with such a passion for the genre in which they work. There is no mistaking their influences, but at the same time they have what it takes to make a name for themselves. They have two relatively young guitarists who play with such a dedication and passion, firing away one blazing solo after the other (giving the already sweet guest solo courtesy of Olaf Lenk (At Vance) serious competition), they have a competent rhythm section, providing a solid base for the excessive (but oh so fun) guitar work, and they have a singer in Erik ‘EZ’ Blomkvist (Platitude) who has a smooth, somewhat rougher voice than what is normal for this type of music, yet one which carries the vocal melodies with gusto and is, in short, very suited to the tunes on display. Although I liked previous vocalist Tomas as well, his was a more classical rock voice, if you will, and Blomkvist’s pipes are just a notch more suited to what this band has to offer.

All of this would amount to nothing, however, if the songs didn’t cut the mustard. I’m happy to tell you they do. Of course they do. Two songs deserve special mention: Opening cut ”Liberty” (on which the aforementioned Mr. Lenk delivers a smoking guitar solo), a song I knew I would love as soon as I heard the sample the first time. An up-tempo so catchy it’s not even funny. The glorious chorus hits you like a fist between the eyes. I don’t know how many times I’ve played this track already. It’s like crack. ”Forest Majesty” is also a pretty anthemic affair, lyrically delving into the need for solitude and rest when times get rough. Two other songs worthy of mention are ”End Of The Road” and ”Countdown”, and although the album is pretty solid overall, the mentioned songs would be my favorites.

These guys have not reinvented the wheel or anything, nor will they go on to become superstars, but sometimes all you need is something done with conviction, and here they’ve succeeded. The only thing I don’t like about this album is the cover. Music this good deserves a prettier presentation. This is only nitpicking, of course. For lovers of (the European kind of) power metal, this is a no-brainer, really. Well worth a spin for the rest of you too, come to think of it.

(originally published on cronopio.se January 11:th, 2011)

Regarding previous reviews

Just a short note regarding the reviews posted previously: They were all written some four years ago, and some facts may have changed since. Some of the bands have split up, websites may not be working etc. I have checked the validity of URLs, but that's about it. I don't want to meddle with the actual contents of these reviews for several reasons, the main one being that once you go down that road, you'll never find your way back. They're not bad, by any means, but hopefully there is a noticeable difference between those reviews published in 2007 and prior to that and those written and posted online more recently. I'll leave that up to you to decide.

Any comments, constructive criticism and feedback is more than welcome!

Windrow - Trilogy (2007)

Tracklist:
01. Always In Silence
02. I Am The King
03. Tears Of Anger
04. Victory
05. Wings Of Fate
06. Fury Of The Will
07. Someone May Think We Are Losers
08. Golden Heart
09. The Hole
10. Eagle Fly Free (Helloween cover)
11. The Seventh Prophecy

Country: Italy
Genre: Power metal
Label: Self-released
Release date: June 3:d, 2007

Line-up:
Pino Chirico - vocals
Guiseppe Longo - guitars
Flavio Chichetti - guitars
Carlo Fantoni - bass
Ugo Montana - drums

Well, this is certainly a nice surprise! When people think of Italy and power metal, the band Rhapsody of Fire usually comes to mind. Other than that band, what usually plagues many groups from pastaland is lack of new ideas, poor production jobs and sub-par vocal abilities. Not so with Windrow, I am pleased to say. This quintet from Rome has released two albums prior to this, their third and latest one, aptly titled Trilogy. And let me tell you, it is a mighty fine album. For once, everything (mostly) is done right. Instrumentation is well executed, production is slick, but with enough crunch and power to not let this sink in the flood of "could-have-been-great-records-if-it-weren't-for-the-weak-sound". Also, vocalist Pino Chirico has one good set of pipes, which he demonstrates in the very first minute of the first song "Always In Silence".

Stylistically, this is power metal, mid- and uptempo, done without any real frills or "extras" to make it stand out, but it works anyway, since everything is done right, if you catch my drift. What's most important to me in a record are, and will always be, the songs themselves. If the tunes do not 'click' with me (which in general means being either catchy, anthemic or fast) I usually see no reason to continue listening. Windrow have some good tunes, however, which makes me want to go back and listen again. Examples of such songs would be the aforementioned "Always In Silence", "Victory" and "Fury Of The Will" that all contain elements of my preference.

Also included is a more than passable cover version of Helloween's "Eagle Fly Free". This song is my favorite tune of all time and all genres, so I wouldn't take a butchering of it lightly.

So Windrow may not be reinventing the weel, but they're making sure it runs smoothly, and sometimes that is just enough. Check out this talented band!

(originally published on Mostly Metal Reviews August 11:th, 2007)

Power Quest - Magic Never Dies (2005)

Tracklist:
01. Ascension
02. Find My Heaven
03. Galaxies Unknown
04. Hold On To Love
05. Diamond Sky
06. The Message
07. Soulfire
08. Children Of The Dream
09. Strike Force
10. Another World
11. Magic Never Dies
12. The Longest Night (Japanese bonus)

Country: Great Britain
Genre: Power metal/hard rock
Label: Majestic Rock
Release date: July 4:th, 2005
Website: http://www.power-quest.co.uk

Line-up:
Alessio Garavello - vocals
Andrea Martongelli - guitars
Steve Scott - bass
Steve Williams - keyboards
Francesco Tresca - drums

It is said that lightning never strikes the same place twice. I disagree. Actually, it might have struck the same place thrice, as far as I'm concerned. If you read my review for last year's Neverworld, you should know I was pretty damn excited with that release, and in hindsight I may have overscored it a little (10/10). It's not that it doesn't deserve the full score, it does, because it is a brilliant album, but then the new opus Magic Never Dies must be awarded at least 15/10, because it blows Neverworld and everything the guys've done so far out of the water! The albums is truly that amazing, and comes as close to perfection as I could ever wish. It's amazing really. How the bloody hell do they do it? It's like they've taken everything that was great about Neverworld and increased it tenfold. The productions is stronger, clearer, punchier. Muscially, main songwriter, keyboardist and band founder Steve Williams has improved his already excellent songwriting skills and abilities to pen catchy hardrocking AOR tunes reminiscent of the 80's, as well as traditional high-speed double-bass galloping power metal hymns. Steve Scott's basslines are thicker and groovier, as well as more accentuated than ever before. I want to be able to hear the bass in a metal record, which is exactly what I'm doing here. Andrea Martongelli is an excellent guitarist, as usual, shining especially in the lead and solo parts. Alessio Garavello has obviously really worked on his voice, and this may well be his strongest performance to date. New drummer boy Francesco Tresca is a real find, and I hope the drummer issue will be a thing of the past for the band now.

As for consistency, not one song on the new album is out of place or makes you want to hit the skip button. And the magic truly works both ways - you can either enjoy the songs as a whole, in which case you have a consistent and strong record, or you could pick them out one by one, in which case they also work. The balance between old and new, fast and slow, melodic, groovy, metal and hard rock is simply nearly too much for a poor soul like me to bear.

I'm going to go over the songs one by one, mainly because I owe it to them. To them and to the guys for writing music that make me want to run around the city, hair blowing in the wind, pumping my fist in the air, once again understanding what it is about this music that so touches my heart; that makes me want to live my life to the fullest of my potentials, that makes me believe there IS a God, and that he is moving within me. Without further ado ...

"Ascension"
Probably the most bombastic intro ever to grace a heavy metal disc. You just gotta love those snaredrums! Makes your blood boil in awe of what's to come. Truly worthy of its name.

"Find My Heaven"
Sweet familiar Power Quest territory covered in this excellent uptempo opener, with a chorus so accessible you'll be singing along with it before it's over. Pay attention to the lyrics as well. Will I really find what I long for in this life? No knights or dragons whatsoever here ...

"Galaxies Unknown"
My personal absolute favourite song off the album, although every tune holds that special magic for me, and it's almost impossible to choose. This song has made me indebted to the PQ guys for the rest of my life. I believe the word I'm looking for is gratitude. Embodying all that is good in speedy melodic metal, "Galaxies Unknown" features one of the most uplifting choruses I've heard in any song, ever, as well as almost superhuman drumming from new sticksman Francesco Tresca. That guy's a monster!

"Hold On To Love"
A very tender and beautiful midtempo song about, well, holding on to what makes you endure in life. Musically moving in AOR territory, with some very tasteful keyboards reminiscent of those employed in "Edge Of Time" from Neverworld. The chorus is catchy and sad at the same time, which is something only this band can do.

"Diamond Sky"
A short and sweet uptempo power metal tune, penned by Alessio and Andrea, which is a nice surprise. These guys really should write more tunes, if they're as good as this once. I'm afraid I'm starting to repeat myself here, but the bridge and chorus are so catchy you'd have filled three normal melodic metal releases by other bands by now, but it's all good. Kudos, dudes!

"The Message"
The (obligatory) ballad, clocking in at over six minutes, and never a boring second. It's heartwrenchingly beautiful in a way that I thought only "When I'm Gone" could be, but I was proven wrong. Yet the message (no pun intended) within this tune is such an empowering one, the song work on so many more levels than one. Listen and find out for yourself. You'll be better off for it.

"Soulfire"
Yet another uptempo song (thank you very much!), and a blisteringly powerful one to boot. Adding a touch of progressiveness and a lot of chunky guitar riffs, this song comes across as maybe the most aggressive PQ tune to date. There is a tempo and a will to rock your socks off in this song that you'll be able to feel.

"Children Of The Dream"
We're back in hard rock AOR land with this tune, which may very well become yet another live favourite, sandwiched in between the faster songs. The keyboards just scream 1984 and sundrenched beaches, whereas the lyrics move in those areas into which one ventures late at night, or at the end of a special period of your life, thinking back, wondering what may have been different, and did I really live my life to the fullest? Yeah, if you played this song over and over again, I'd say you did!

"Strike Force"
Damn! How the hell do they do it??? It's inhuman, it's impossible. Yeah, it's a fast power metal song, but it's brilliantly written, produced, and orchestrated. The band takes the time to let it evolve, which becomes very clear when listening to the instrumental introduction. Any other band could have blasted right along, but Power Quest builds the up the tension well with some very majestic pipe organs before the double-bass kicks in, and this where I'd say the band has 'matured', if one dares use such a word. Yeah, you might even say they'd tried to incorporate some progressiveness into the songs, even though we're naturally not talking progressive as in Dream Theater progressive. Anyways, along with "Galaxies Unknown", this song may very well be my personal favourite off MND.

"Another World"
Speaking of progressiveness ... "Another World" is the longest song on the album, and the one that took the longest for me to get into, which doesn't mean it's bad. On the contrary. This is where what makes the album dynamic. Kind of like "Lost Without You." Lots of different parts within the song to enjoy, all coming together in the end to form a coherent whole. You have been warned ...

"Magic Never Dies"
Lastly, the title track. What is there to say? A perfect closer, worthy of summing up a great album. Go back to your memories, rememeber that whatever happens, you were there, and therefore, magic never dies. Speed and passion are the keywords for this songs, which has the feelings of a true epic.

"The Longest Night" (bonus track)
For once, you'd do well to spend the extra cash and get the Japanese version. This song was actually written by Clive Nolan, but fits so well into the Power Quest 'concept' you'd think it was written by the man (Steve) himself. I understand that songs like these are representative of what people like to call 'happy metal', but I happen to like happy metal, so I'll just savour it and enjoy what is, quite simply, a brilliant bonus track.

So that's it. Or is it? Not really. There's a bonus DVD for the European version as well. And you're in for a treat, as the disc shows the band in the studio, goofing around and having a damn good time, which is what this kind of music's all about in the first place. There's some really fucked up sections with a plastic toy character that looks like it's had one too many pints (or is it Andrea?), wobbling along in front of an amplifier, while some seriously deranged voiceovers accompany the debauchery (or is it Andrea ... yet again?) There are also shitloads of photos and slideshows of the band and the recording process. Truly, you get the feeling that the band wanted to give the fans something extra, and this is it. Go get both versions if you can. As far as I know, the European version will be a digipak one, catering for that extra luxury you so well deserve. Treat yourself to Power Quest; one of the best bands in the world, any category.

(originally published on Mostly Metal Reviews July 29:th, 2007)

Power Quest - Neverworld (2004)

Tracklist:
01. Neverworld (Power Quest part II)
02. Temple Of Fire
03. Edge Of Time
04. Sacred Land
05. When I'm Gone
06. For Evermore
07. Well Of Souls
08. Into The Light
09. Lost Without You

Country: Great Britain
Genre: Power metal/hard rock
Label: Now And Then Records
Release date: March 15:th, 2004
Website: http://www.power-quest.co.uk

Line-up:
Alessio Garavello - vocals
Andrea Martongelli - guitars
Steve Scott - bass
Steve Williams - keyboards
Andre Bargmann - drums

There are musical moments that - when experienced - will define the rest of your future life. The first time I heard Helloween's Keeper Of The Seven Keys, part II was such a moment. Upon hearing "Eagle Fly Free" that song instantly became my favorite tune of ALL metal genres, EVER, and it still is. I knew that this was the music I wanted to listen to, this is what I would live for. Since then, only a few albums have come as close as Keepers...: Stratovarius' Infinite, Sonata Arctica's Silence, Edguy's Theater Of Salvation and most recently, Insania's Fantasy - A New Dimension. Now, another album can be added to those, namely POWER QUEST's Neverworld. Having already released an album called Wings Of Forever, the guys return with their second effort, and, wow... The first time I heard the title track of Neverworld my thoughts were instantly brought back to "Eagle Fly Free." It was that good. And the rest of the album blew me away too. I knew, that no matter how big the guys of POWER QUEST would make it (or not) I would want to follow their endeavors, their development. The magic was there.

So now Steve Williams (keyboards & main songwriter), Steve Scott (bass), Alessio Garavello (vocals, also Arthemis), Andrea Martongelli (guitars, also Arthemis) and Gavin Ward (drums, even though departed sticksman Andre Bargmann plays on the record) return with their second full length Neverworld, and if you haven't already got my point, well here it is again: It is fucking marvelous. Splendid. Brilliant. Of course, my feelings toward a record cannot be accurately conveyed in a written review. You'll have to see me waving my fist in the air to galloping, epic tracks such as "Neverworld (Power Quest II)", "Temple Of Fire" & "Sacred Land", you'll have to watch my shaking body convulse to such pearls as "Edge Of Time", "Well Of Souls" & "Into The Light", you'll have to pay attention to my trembling lower lip as I enjoy the heart wrenching ballad "When I'm Gone." By the way, I want that song played on my funeral. It is so damned beautiful.

Always melodic, (almost) always fast as hell, and always catchy, POWER QUEST have forged their own brand of metal, and although deeply inspired by the likes of Stratovarius, Edguy, and Helloween, they have developed a sound that has become uniquely their own. Steve Williams is a very gifted songwriter, inasmuch as he makes each and EVERY composition stand out, while at the same time blending in nicely with the other songs. And God, the man knows how to pen a catchy tune! Some power metal bands could really apply for his services nowadays. Production wise the sound could best be described as crystal clear (the album was produced by Karl Groom, of Threshold). Crank the volume up to eleven, to get that shredding guitar piercing your eardrums the right way. Oh, and by the way, Andrea Martongelli's solos are out of this world too. Just listen to "Neverworld" and you'll get my point.

The Japanese version of the album features two bonus tracks: "Find Your Way To The Top", written by Andrea and Alessio, and an alternate version of "When I'm Gone", featuring Sabine Edelsbacher of Edenbridge on lead vocals. For us Europeans, a multimedia section with a video and an interview can be found on the CD. And since I've mentioned every track but one, do not forget "For Evermore" which could possibly be described as "pretty damn catchy". Well... The way 80's keyboards are used in the beginning of this song, as well as in "Edge Of Time" only adds another dimension to what already is a perfect band. Long live POWER QUEST, and here's to another ten albums!

(originally published on Mostly Metal Reviews July 29:th, 2007)

Olympos Mons - Medievil (2007)

Tracklist:
01. One Word
02. Frozen
03. The Emperor's Return
04. The Price
05. Wolves
06. A Race Between Two Hearts
07. Fire And Ice
08. Medievil
09. Kingdom Of Winter
10. Locked In Chains

Country: Finland
Genre: Power metal
Label: Scarlet Records
Release date: July 16:th, 2007

Line-up:
Ian E. Highhill - vocals
Jari Sundström - guitars
Krister Lundell - bass
Mikko Sepponen - drums
Vili Ollila - keyboards

Olympos Mons debuted in 2004 with Conquistador, an album I took an instant liking to. The combination of 'happy' melodies and a crunching, groovy guitar sound hit the right spot, and since then I've been anxiously awaiting their sophomore effort, which has been delayed due to label troubles. But fear not, for it has been worth the wait. The band, as on the debut, plays an infectious kind of European power metal that so many people have come to either love or hate. The difference this time around is maybe the fact that the group has had time to polish their sound even more, in the process rectifying what was not so good on the debut (mostly having to do with the sounds of the different instruments and mixing).

"One Word" is the perfect opener, for this album, and for every band playing this type of music. With a chorus so infectious it never gets out of your head, it sets the tone for what is to come. "Frozen" follows, and I'm kind of surprised by the fact that the "feelings" of the two opening songs on this album so closely resemble those of the debut album. Not that the songs sound like each other, but the fact that "One Word" has a kind of happy chorus, much like "Seven Seas" from Conquistador, and "Frozen" has an anthemic one, like "Stars." They're basically four very good songs, but where "One Word" and "Frozen" excel is in the arrangement and production section. It's just like the guys've become better at arranging and, for lack of a better word, "polishing" their songs. This feeling prevails throughout Medievil, and it is a highly positive one at that.

Basically every track on this album has something of value to offer the fan of melodic power metal, but I would like to give an extra mention to "A Race Between Two Hearts" and "Fire And Ice", the former being both happy and anthemic at the same time, and the latter being a weird type of ballad/mid-tempo tune with a very strong bridge and chorus. All in all: If you liked the debut album, you'll eat this one up too. The downside? Well, if I have to say something negative, it'd be that those of you who didn't like Ian Highhill's voice before won't like it now, either. I don't think he was bad on Conquistador, but he has improved vastly here. Secondly, the keyboard fanfares on "The Emperor's Return" are repeated a tad too many times, bordering on the annoying. But those are minor complaints and should not discourage you from giving these guys the attention they deserve!

(originally published on Mostly Metal Reviews July 19:th, 2007)

Dragonland - Astronomy (2006)

Tracklist:
01. Supernova
02. Cassiopeia
03. Contact
04. Astronomy
05. Antimatter
06. The Book Of Shadows Part IV: The Scrolls Of Geometria Divina
07. Beethoven's Nightmare
08. Too Late For Sorrow
09. Direction: Perfection
10. The Old House On The Hill Chapter I: A Death In The Family
11. The Old House On The Hill Chapter II: The Thing In The Cellar
12. The Old House On The Hill Chapter III: The Ring Of Edward Waldon

Country: Sweden
Genre: Melodic power metal/progressive
Label: Century Media
Release date: November 13:th, 2006

Line-up:
Jonas Heidgert - vocals
Olof Mörck - guitars
Nicklas Magnusson - guitars
Christer Pedersen - bass
Elias Holmlid - keyboards
Jesse Lindskog - drums

I've been a fan of Dragonland ever since I heard their second album Holy War (2002). Although they've changed their style pretty drastically, they've still retained the sense of melody and catchiness which I love. In short: As much as I love the galloping rhythms of the aforementioned album, I can but marvel at the striking sense of musicianship displayed on its successor Starfall (2004) and on the latest outing Astronomy. The guys have honed their songwriting abilities, and on this album they display the results. What we have here is a brilliant concoction of tunes that range from the bombastic opener "Supernova" (I get goosebumps everytime Jonas launches into "detonate the sky ..."), to the laid-back, but nontheless melodic "Too Late For Sorrow" to the ultra-catchy and galloping "Contact." Here Olof Mörck and Nicklas Magnusson show exactly when a blistering solo is appropriate. Too many are the times that I've heard bands launch into pointless solo escapades just for the sake of, well, soloing. Not this time around. This solo fits perfectly with the song and is beautiful to boot.

Basically, I could mention each and every song on the album. Each has its own charm. I'd like to give extra kudos to the bombastic and instrumental closing trilogy of "The Old House On The Hill." A continuation of "The Book Of Shadows" from Starfall, if you will, or just ten odd minutes of marvellously orchestrated film score metal (yeah, Rhapsody Of Fire, these guys know how to do it too!). Anywho, an excellent way to finish off an album that grows. And grows. And grows. Based on their last two efforts, I am really stoked to follow Dragonland's future endeavours.

(originally published on Mostly Metal Reviews July 15:th, 2007)

Ride The Sky - New Protection (2007)

Tracklist:
01. New Protection
02. A Smile From Heaven's Eye
03. Silent War
04. The Prince Of Darkness
05. Break The Chain
06. Corroded Dreams
07. The End Of Days
08. Far Beyond The Stars
09. Black Cloud
10. Endless
11. Heaven Only Knows
12. A Crack In The Wall

Country: Sweden/Germany
Genre: Heavy/power metal
Label: Nuclear Blast
Release date: August 17:th, 2007

Line-up:
Björn Jansson - vocals
Benny Jansson - guitars
Mathias Garnås - bass
Kaspar Dahlqvist - keyboards
Uli Kusch - drums

Ride The Sky is the new band of Uli Kusch (ex-Helloween, ex-Masterplan) and New Protection is the band's debut album, and what an album! Lovers of bands such as Dionysus, At Vance and the aforementioned Masterplan will simply eat this up. What we have here are twelve tracks ranging from the beautiful, gloriously harmonic midtempo song "A Smile From Heaven's Eye" (this song is, simply put, amazing and I knew immediately upon hearing a sample on the band's MySpace site that I would love this song, and I was not wrong), easily the best song of the album - to the uptempo "Far Beyond The Stars", reminiscent of old-school At Vance at their best. The title track as well as the dynamic "The Prince Of Darkness" are also worthy of a mention. I've always appreciated Uli Kusch's songwriting skills in Helloween, and I hope I will be able to enjoy his abilities for many years to come. Also a big plus to brother's Björn and Benny Jansson (vocals and guitars, respectively). Björn's voice is perfect for this type of music. Jorn Lande fans will love him, and Benny Jansson's guitar playing is also worthy of accolade. The man knows when to unleash blistering solos, but also how, and when, to simply lay down scorching rhythms. All in all, pick this album up if you're into the types of band mentioned, or if you're simply a fan of great music.

(originally published on Mostly Metal Reviews June 30:th, 2007)

First

Hello and welcome to The Plutonium Pen, a blog where I, Alexander Nyström, intend to post previous and future metal CD reviews. I used to have a blog called Mostly Metal Reviews back in 2007, but unfortunately I lost the access to it, so I have to start over with a new one. Well, actually the years just passed, and in the interim I sort of lost interest in the whole review thing. But lately it's all been coming back to me in a way.

I plan on relocating previous reviews from the aforementioned site as well as those I've posted over at my 'regular' website - cronopio.se - but from now on, new reviews will only be posted here.

There are no rules I abide to when writing and/or posting reviews. Mainly I will have to enjoy an album before wanting to review it. I do not get paid to do this and I am not currently affiliated with any magazine or webzine, so basically what you'll see here will be reviews of bands and CDs I enjoy listening to, mostly within the very broad metal spectrum. Updates will happen most sporadically. Do not fall asleep in front of the screen. You've been warned.