Dream Evil - The Book Of Heavy Metal
2004 - 77526-2 - Century Media Records
By Philip Whitehouse
"Wear nothing but black skin-tight leather / My skin is clad with metal studs / Am I a wannabe? Have I no dignity? / I'd give up all my life to be... in the book of heavy metal."
- 'The Book Of Heavy Metal' by Dream Evil
The lyrics above should immediately tell you pretty much everything you need to know about this latest release from Dream Evil, if you didn't already notice that their name is taken from a Dio album and that there are not one but two Hammerfall members/collaborators in the line-up (namely, vocalist Niklas Isfeldt, who sang backing vocals on Hammerfall's first two albums, and bassist Peter Stalfors, who co-wrote a track on the Euro power metal titans debut disc). But, in case all of this information is leading you absolutely nowhere at all, then here it is laid out simply for you. Dream Evil are heavy metal band in the traditional vein, throwing influences from modern power metal, 80s hard rock and the NWOBHM into a huge steaming cauldron, led by acclaimed Swedish metal producer Fredrik Nordstrom on guitar. All clear now? Good.
This is their third release, after Dragonslayer (I thought these power metal guys loved dragons?) and Evilized, and sees the band expanding their remit to include even more 80s influences. To that end, we get tracks like 'No Way', which is pure Rainbow-worship with the added touch of Isfeldt doing his absolute best Ozzy impression during the 'iiiiiit iiiiiis ooooonly roooock and rooooooooll' pre-chorus. We also get the likes of 'Let's Make Rock' - an undoubtedly anthemic and uplifting song in the live arena, but one wonders whether Accept's lawyers should consider suing... Throw into the mix some cool, stomping metal numbers like 'M.O.M.' (stands for Man Or Mouse, before you start sniggering) along with the obligatory power ballad 'Unbreakable Chain' and the metal-melancholy ode to loneliness that is 'Tired', and what you have is a classic metal album that throws out all the familiar cliches, covers all the bases, and does so in an ingratiatingly cheesy but undeniably entertaining manner.
Honestly, I don't want to like this. I really don't. On some rational level I realise that it is painfully unoriginal, shamelessly derivative and would almost certainly be excrutiatingly embarassing to be seen in my collection - but the cliches are dispensed with such conviction and energy that they become revitalised, and the album in general is played with such conviction and apparent joy that the whole disc becomes infuriatingly infectious. Just try not to sing along to the chorus of 'Tired' after the third listen. Go on, I dare you. The instrumental performances are superb, the songs well-written and possessed of an air of familiarity that stems, on later consideration, perhaps not so much from plagiarism but more from an understanding of the genre Dream Evil are dealing with.
7/10
Dream Evil Official Website
Century Media Records Website
2004 - 77526-2 - Century Media Records
By Philip Whitehouse
"Wear nothing but black skin-tight leather / My skin is clad with metal studs / Am I a wannabe? Have I no dignity? / I'd give up all my life to be... in the book of heavy metal."
- 'The Book Of Heavy Metal' by Dream Evil
The lyrics above should immediately tell you pretty much everything you need to know about this latest release from Dream Evil, if you didn't already notice that their name is taken from a Dio album and that there are not one but two Hammerfall members/collaborators in the line-up (namely, vocalist Niklas Isfeldt, who sang backing vocals on Hammerfall's first two albums, and bassist Peter Stalfors, who co-wrote a track on the Euro power metal titans debut disc). But, in case all of this information is leading you absolutely nowhere at all, then here it is laid out simply for you. Dream Evil are heavy metal band in the traditional vein, throwing influences from modern power metal, 80s hard rock and the NWOBHM into a huge steaming cauldron, led by acclaimed Swedish metal producer Fredrik Nordstrom on guitar. All clear now? Good.
This is their third release, after Dragonslayer (I thought these power metal guys loved dragons?) and Evilized, and sees the band expanding their remit to include even more 80s influences. To that end, we get tracks like 'No Way', which is pure Rainbow-worship with the added touch of Isfeldt doing his absolute best Ozzy impression during the 'iiiiiit iiiiiis ooooonly roooock and rooooooooll' pre-chorus. We also get the likes of 'Let's Make Rock' - an undoubtedly anthemic and uplifting song in the live arena, but one wonders whether Accept's lawyers should consider suing... Throw into the mix some cool, stomping metal numbers like 'M.O.M.' (stands for Man Or Mouse, before you start sniggering) along with the obligatory power ballad 'Unbreakable Chain' and the metal-melancholy ode to loneliness that is 'Tired', and what you have is a classic metal album that throws out all the familiar cliches, covers all the bases, and does so in an ingratiatingly cheesy but undeniably entertaining manner.
Honestly, I don't want to like this. I really don't. On some rational level I realise that it is painfully unoriginal, shamelessly derivative and would almost certainly be excrutiatingly embarassing to be seen in my collection - but the cliches are dispensed with such conviction and energy that they become revitalised, and the album in general is played with such conviction and apparent joy that the whole disc becomes infuriatingly infectious. Just try not to sing along to the chorus of 'Tired' after the third listen. Go on, I dare you. The instrumental performances are superb, the songs well-written and possessed of an air of familiarity that stems, on later consideration, perhaps not so much from plagiarism but more from an understanding of the genre Dream Evil are dealing with.
7/10
Dream Evil Official Website
Century Media Records Website
