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)
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