- Nov 24, 2002
- 14,122
- 167
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Another of my psycho reviews. I must apologize for the weird wording and the fragments of thoughts but it's fdifficult to get all my emotions while hearing into print.
Astral Doors is back with their second album, if you like the debut this one will shake your foundations, and if you don't...well you should, go and mend your sin!
Bride Of Christ: talk about an opener! Pure Dio/Rainbow stuff only on steroids, we all know Nils vocals resemblance the almighty dwarf but in Astral Doors goes beyond tribute into worship. Fast, heavy, powerful what else can you ask from a metal song?
The drumming pounds like theres no tomorrow and the keyboards are so well fit that hurts, add to that a well crafted guitar playing and the result is like sex without side effects
Time To Rock: you want some different valuable power metal from Europe? This song is the answer to your prayers. Not as fast as the opener, but full of passion/energy. Owes a great deal to Dio material like Lat In Line, Rainbow In The Dark, still is feels original enough to avoid criticism as cloning. The choruses are infectious, lovely to sing along.
Evil Is Forever: and I hope so. The title track starts with a keyboard intro that is so fucking good that worth the whole album for me, turns into a mean riff and lift-off on a crunchy mid-tempo deal that reminds me a lot of the Rainbow spirit in many of Long Live RockNRoll songs. The amalgam of guitars and keys dimension the song to a high point musically speaking, and unlike many neo-classical (or bad power) bands the keys here are supportive and intelligent not wankery or flowerness.
Lionheart: no, not the Saxon song, and not as majestic either, but surely not bad . Heavy, energetic bathed in wonderful vocals and riffing, to rinse keyboards embedded in the 70s. Fans of Deep Purple will have to take note on this one.
Praise The Bones: relentlessly this album keeps on pounding with another dose of crunchy/energetic/melodic metal. What amazes me is the spirit of giving no quarters the music delivers. A real we came for your soul attitude.
Pull The Break: funny name for a song that goes fast as hell. It should have been named press the accelerator. In any case this is the spirit good power metal is made of, and the chorus is catchy as a spider web. I can perfectly imagine this as a live song making everybody slamming in an infernal riot. Drums that pound like crazy, a guitar that knows how to pinch your nervous system, and vocals to die for. If you want to know where the money of the purchase went, it was here.
Fear In The Eyes: slower and tamer, but fear not a ballad. Good mid-tempo steamroller, the amazing thing is how this band fills the speakers, like a musical tsunami pouring over you. What I like a lot of the solos are that theyre not pretentious, same with the keyboards. The formula is to deliver food for thought, not to drown your brain cells.
Stalingrad: starts with a mellow acoustic guitar, and then jumps into a mid-tempo melodic punch. The weakest so far (if you can find a weak song in here), have a bit of oriental melody intertwined at moments that doesnt click with the name. Anyway, not a bad song for sure.
From The Cradle To The Grave: a rocker by all means. It has that vibe that makes you tap the floor while listening, and by the time the chorus hit you are looking for a partner to dance the floor away (yes I believe rock is great for shaking the bones). I wonder what people in the mid 70s would had think on this type of music?
The Flame: and here we go again, no parole, no mercy, and fastening your seat belt will be a neat idea too. How these guys made it I dont know, but the formula seems to work in each and every song. Im sure that their live show must be a lifetime experience. I cant think of a single reason to skip this album, unless youre dead.
Path To Delirium: a great name for the final song, because by this time Im delirious. Starts softly with some narrative and a dark guitar, flows into a neat chorus and suddenly it shows Nils finest vocal work IMO. With the help of a neat chorus in the background and the veer present magical keyboard the song invades your ears and took over your head.
I know some of you already have it, those who dont (like me) have to get it as soon as available. For us in OS this is what we crave for 21st century bands that delivers the sound we long so much for. Ultra-highly recommended.
Astral Doors is back with their second album, if you like the debut this one will shake your foundations, and if you don't...well you should, go and mend your sin!
Bride Of Christ: talk about an opener! Pure Dio/Rainbow stuff only on steroids, we all know Nils vocals resemblance the almighty dwarf but in Astral Doors goes beyond tribute into worship. Fast, heavy, powerful what else can you ask from a metal song?
The drumming pounds like theres no tomorrow and the keyboards are so well fit that hurts, add to that a well crafted guitar playing and the result is like sex without side effects
Time To Rock: you want some different valuable power metal from Europe? This song is the answer to your prayers. Not as fast as the opener, but full of passion/energy. Owes a great deal to Dio material like Lat In Line, Rainbow In The Dark, still is feels original enough to avoid criticism as cloning. The choruses are infectious, lovely to sing along.
Evil Is Forever: and I hope so. The title track starts with a keyboard intro that is so fucking good that worth the whole album for me, turns into a mean riff and lift-off on a crunchy mid-tempo deal that reminds me a lot of the Rainbow spirit in many of Long Live RockNRoll songs. The amalgam of guitars and keys dimension the song to a high point musically speaking, and unlike many neo-classical (or bad power) bands the keys here are supportive and intelligent not wankery or flowerness.
Lionheart: no, not the Saxon song, and not as majestic either, but surely not bad
. Heavy, energetic bathed in wonderful vocals and riffing, to rinse keyboards embedded in the 70s. Fans of Deep Purple will have to take note on this one.Praise The Bones: relentlessly this album keeps on pounding with another dose of crunchy/energetic/melodic metal. What amazes me is the spirit of giving no quarters the music delivers. A real we came for your soul attitude.
Pull The Break: funny name for a song that goes fast as hell. It should have been named press the accelerator. In any case this is the spirit good power metal is made of, and the chorus is catchy as a spider web. I can perfectly imagine this as a live song making everybody slamming in an infernal riot. Drums that pound like crazy, a guitar that knows how to pinch your nervous system, and vocals to die for. If you want to know where the money of the purchase went, it was here.
Fear In The Eyes: slower and tamer, but fear not a ballad. Good mid-tempo steamroller, the amazing thing is how this band fills the speakers, like a musical tsunami pouring over you. What I like a lot of the solos are that theyre not pretentious, same with the keyboards. The formula is to deliver food for thought, not to drown your brain cells.
Stalingrad: starts with a mellow acoustic guitar, and then jumps into a mid-tempo melodic punch. The weakest so far (if you can find a weak song in here), have a bit of oriental melody intertwined at moments that doesnt click with the name. Anyway, not a bad song for sure.
From The Cradle To The Grave: a rocker by all means. It has that vibe that makes you tap the floor while listening, and by the time the chorus hit you are looking for a partner to dance the floor away (yes I believe rock is great for shaking the bones). I wonder what people in the mid 70s would had think on this type of music?
The Flame: and here we go again, no parole, no mercy, and fastening your seat belt will be a neat idea too. How these guys made it I dont know, but the formula seems to work in each and every song. Im sure that their live show must be a lifetime experience. I cant think of a single reason to skip this album, unless youre dead.
Path To Delirium: a great name for the final song, because by this time Im delirious. Starts softly with some narrative and a dark guitar, flows into a neat chorus and suddenly it shows Nils finest vocal work IMO. With the help of a neat chorus in the background and the veer present magical keyboard the song invades your ears and took over your head.
I know some of you already have it, those who dont (like me) have to get it as soon as available. For us in OS this is what we crave for 21st century bands that delivers the sound we long so much for. Ultra-highly recommended.
