- Nov 24, 2002
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Some of you may remember the days before Internet, some of you may remember the days before CDs. There was a time when getting to know bands was an act of friendship or a sheer luck strike of radio, and to get the albums sometimes an act of faith.
There was no way to get into new music without some risk, but today Internet (no thanks to the morons in RIAA) has become a tool of decision. The possibility of hearing music before taking the economical risk has re-dimension the way metalheads (or any other music fan) behaves when it comes to know/purchase music.
A few years back MP3.com was truly a place to know bands, free full songs were ready to be heard/download so the bands had promotion, the listener the possibility of knowing before hand, and everyone was happy well maybe not everyone since the site closed some time ago.
Anyway before the closure I was able to know many bands through MP3 and one of them was Cryonic Temple. With that name I approached with caution, just to found great tunes that grab me so hard by the throat that I needed to get into them immediately, hooked like and junkie. I was lucky to found their debut Chapter 1 (on the difficult to get Underground Symphony from Italy) and love since first spin, fast songs, great melodies, no ballads, no soft songs, just power. Originality? none but who cares.
Yeah, these guys from Sweden pack some neat punch under the cheese. Did I say cheese? Oh dear yeah, from the school of Manowar and Majesty the band exudes a limburger smell than kills, and if you think about the fact that the singer goes by the name of Glenn Metal well you know where they heading too. Swords, dragons, wolves, war songs, metal praise all the recipe is here, but somehow it does work fine.
The formula was kept for their sophomore album Blood, Guts & Glory, especially on a song so damn catchy that you forget about the rest of the album and bought a $14 single (LOL). Now in 2005 they return with In Thy Power and the formula intact.
Sleep Of The Innocent: instrumental intro
When Hell Freezes Over: mid/fast tempo opener with the typical epic vocals of the band blended together with powerful drumming and striking guitars. Neat metal by the book charged with a catchy chorus.
In Thy Power: the title track is just what this band is about speed. Not like in speed metal, but in like fast, fast guitars, fast drumming, fast melodies. This is power metal with power in it for sure. If you had heard their previous albums you know what Im talking about, if not trust me this is fast, but also melodic which really flavors the song.
To me is the reason Im going to buy this album.
Travellers In Time: another dose of yippee, I know most probably TSO is not going to like it but I love this fast double bass that goes relentless towards 99% of the song. But the melody and the measured vocals together really deliver the punch I look in this music.
Beast Slayer: and the insanity carries on, I cant imagine the band playing this songs live one after another without loosing some 3-5 kg per show. What a workout! Even if some parts slow a bit the song goes mercilessly full speed ahead. The vocals are always a highlight for me, clean, melodic, powerful, and they fill the space between the drumming and the guitar making a compact brick that hits you.
Wolfcry: a bit tamer song which means the speed is lowered, but all the other elements kept. The chorus is simple and effective directed for live audiences no doubt.
Mr. Gold: if you know the band this is a typical signature song. I mean, if you play this for me Ill immediately say: damn sounds like CryonicTemple. Again is not an insane fast song, but has the flavor that makes it unmistakable a CT song. I have talk about the choruses a few times (and this one kick ass too), now I must emphasize in the guitar soloing. This is not Blackmore territory, but isnt Malmsteen either. The solos are well crafted, melodic, with enough feeling and directed to keep the spirit of old school in the music.
A Soldiers Tale: reminds me a lot of King Of Transylvania my favorite song from the debut, so this one becomes easily a fave too. The cheese and melody of the chorus brings a smile to everyone except those who hate happiness in metal and believe being moody, depressed and angry is what metal is about. CT will never deliver that to people, they believe in the spirit of sing along undoubtedly.
Shark Attack: the song is fast and has a lot, and I mean a lot of old school into it, I close my eyes and feel is like 1985 or so. And the chorus, this a band that had make cheese an art, but a good one.
Rapid Fire: no, no a Judas Priest cover, but a fast song nevertheless. What I like the most is to hear the guitars and flavor the true spirit of heavy metal, you know what I mean, no sensible keyboards (even if they use them), no symphonic stuff, no folk, nothing but two guitars doing a great job with a distortion distinctively of the genre. Do I need to mention the chorus again?
Eternal Flames Of Metal: the end comes as cheese, what do you know evidently the if isnt broken dont fix it law applies here. Like Motorhead, like AC/DC, these Swedes know that if something works, draw fans, and sell records, why change it? The album closes without a single ballad, all the time fast or faster, melody all around, catchiness at will, and a feeling of damn is already finished?
Bottom line, Im here reviewing the third album of a band that I manage to know thanks to the Internet. Im here to defend the fact that online music and downloads is not about piracy, is about knowledge and knowledge is power, and power is about Cryonic Temple
. Highly recommended.
There was no way to get into new music without some risk, but today Internet (no thanks to the morons in RIAA) has become a tool of decision. The possibility of hearing music before taking the economical risk has re-dimension the way metalheads (or any other music fan) behaves when it comes to know/purchase music.
A few years back MP3.com was truly a place to know bands, free full songs were ready to be heard/download so the bands had promotion, the listener the possibility of knowing before hand, and everyone was happy well maybe not everyone since the site closed some time ago.
Anyway before the closure I was able to know many bands through MP3 and one of them was Cryonic Temple. With that name I approached with caution, just to found great tunes that grab me so hard by the throat that I needed to get into them immediately, hooked like and junkie. I was lucky to found their debut Chapter 1 (on the difficult to get Underground Symphony from Italy) and love since first spin, fast songs, great melodies, no ballads, no soft songs, just power. Originality? none but who cares.
Yeah, these guys from Sweden pack some neat punch under the cheese. Did I say cheese? Oh dear yeah, from the school of Manowar and Majesty the band exudes a limburger smell than kills, and if you think about the fact that the singer goes by the name of Glenn Metal well you know where they heading too. Swords, dragons, wolves, war songs, metal praise all the recipe is here, but somehow it does work fine.
The formula was kept for their sophomore album Blood, Guts & Glory, especially on a song so damn catchy that you forget about the rest of the album and bought a $14 single (LOL). Now in 2005 they return with In Thy Power and the formula intact.
Sleep Of The Innocent: instrumental intro
When Hell Freezes Over: mid/fast tempo opener with the typical epic vocals of the band blended together with powerful drumming and striking guitars. Neat metal by the book charged with a catchy chorus.
In Thy Power: the title track is just what this band is about speed. Not like in speed metal, but in like fast, fast guitars, fast drumming, fast melodies. This is power metal with power in it for sure. If you had heard their previous albums you know what Im talking about, if not trust me this is fast, but also melodic which really flavors the song.
To me is the reason Im going to buy this album.
Travellers In Time: another dose of yippee, I know most probably TSO is not going to like it but I love this fast double bass that goes relentless towards 99% of the song. But the melody and the measured vocals together really deliver the punch I look in this music.
Beast Slayer: and the insanity carries on, I cant imagine the band playing this songs live one after another without loosing some 3-5 kg per show. What a workout! Even if some parts slow a bit the song goes mercilessly full speed ahead. The vocals are always a highlight for me, clean, melodic, powerful, and they fill the space between the drumming and the guitar making a compact brick that hits you.
Wolfcry: a bit tamer song which means the speed is lowered, but all the other elements kept. The chorus is simple and effective directed for live audiences no doubt.
Mr. Gold: if you know the band this is a typical signature song. I mean, if you play this for me Ill immediately say: damn sounds like CryonicTemple. Again is not an insane fast song, but has the flavor that makes it unmistakable a CT song. I have talk about the choruses a few times (and this one kick ass too), now I must emphasize in the guitar soloing. This is not Blackmore territory, but isnt Malmsteen either. The solos are well crafted, melodic, with enough feeling and directed to keep the spirit of old school in the music.
A Soldiers Tale: reminds me a lot of King Of Transylvania my favorite song from the debut, so this one becomes easily a fave too. The cheese and melody of the chorus brings a smile to everyone except those who hate happiness in metal and believe being moody, depressed and angry is what metal is about. CT will never deliver that to people, they believe in the spirit of sing along undoubtedly.
Shark Attack: the song is fast and has a lot, and I mean a lot of old school into it, I close my eyes and feel is like 1985 or so. And the chorus, this a band that had make cheese an art, but a good one.
Rapid Fire: no, no a Judas Priest cover, but a fast song nevertheless. What I like the most is to hear the guitars and flavor the true spirit of heavy metal, you know what I mean, no sensible keyboards (even if they use them), no symphonic stuff, no folk, nothing but two guitars doing a great job with a distortion distinctively of the genre. Do I need to mention the chorus again?
Eternal Flames Of Metal: the end comes as cheese, what do you know evidently the if isnt broken dont fix it law applies here. Like Motorhead, like AC/DC, these Swedes know that if something works, draw fans, and sell records, why change it? The album closes without a single ballad, all the time fast or faster, melody all around, catchiness at will, and a feeling of damn is already finished?
Bottom line, Im here reviewing the third album of a band that I manage to know thanks to the Internet. Im here to defend the fact that online music and downloads is not about piracy, is about knowledge and knowledge is power, and power is about Cryonic Temple
. Highly recommended.
