SyXified
Member
Personally... I think Gamma Ray is the best power metal band ever. I'm not really in the mood for the huge rant about what makes them so great, so I'll keep that much short and sweet: Somewhere Out in Space OWNS. The most cohesive, emotionally power and moving, and well produced power metal album I have ever heard. G-Ray has a ton of other fantastic songs and albums - but SWOIS to me is what solidifies them into power metal immortality.
I would, however, like to address the issue of Gamma Ray being called not innovative or reinventing the wheel. That much is just utter nonsense. Any power metal band, by mere character of the genre, will have certain elements that are going to be repetitious. Every genre has these - even those that self declared "intellectuals" revere like Classical and Jazz. But have you ever really sat down and listened to a Gamma Ray song and paid attention to all the compositional complexities going on? Gamma Ray builds these amazingly dense vocal harmonies and instrumental movements that are leagues beyond the framework for power metal Iron Maiden originally created. I think Gamma Ray gets too little recognition for propelling power metal from a slightly more theatrical deviation of heavy metal - to the fantasy/story telling form which almost resembles theatrical works moreso than the original metal roots now. But even with what I consider far and away the most detailed and powerful use of sonority in production that makes G-Ray the most cleverly and effectively produced of the power metal genre - what really ends up defining the band is amazing lyrics and vocal melodies. Never have I heard a band who can write so far outside the standard forms of verse/bridge/chorus repeat, and still sound so unified. You have to start to venture into the world of Prog to hear bands form songs structurally that outside the box - yet G-Ray manages to do it while keeping the flow and momentum of a power metal song you can sing along to. Together - these elements make the story of their songs come to life. And what more does power metal really hope to accomplish than create an aural and visual fantasy that takes the listener out if himself and into the world the music creates. With their amazingly textured sound and brilliant lyrical work, I don't think anyone can hold a candle to G-Ray in terms of creating that fantasy world. In other words, when you sing "have no fear, rebellion is here!' you fucking MEAN IT!
I guess that did turn into a major love fest. Ah well.
I would, however, like to address the issue of Gamma Ray being called not innovative or reinventing the wheel. That much is just utter nonsense. Any power metal band, by mere character of the genre, will have certain elements that are going to be repetitious. Every genre has these - even those that self declared "intellectuals" revere like Classical and Jazz. But have you ever really sat down and listened to a Gamma Ray song and paid attention to all the compositional complexities going on? Gamma Ray builds these amazingly dense vocal harmonies and instrumental movements that are leagues beyond the framework for power metal Iron Maiden originally created. I think Gamma Ray gets too little recognition for propelling power metal from a slightly more theatrical deviation of heavy metal - to the fantasy/story telling form which almost resembles theatrical works moreso than the original metal roots now. But even with what I consider far and away the most detailed and powerful use of sonority in production that makes G-Ray the most cleverly and effectively produced of the power metal genre - what really ends up defining the band is amazing lyrics and vocal melodies. Never have I heard a band who can write so far outside the standard forms of verse/bridge/chorus repeat, and still sound so unified. You have to start to venture into the world of Prog to hear bands form songs structurally that outside the box - yet G-Ray manages to do it while keeping the flow and momentum of a power metal song you can sing along to. Together - these elements make the story of their songs come to life. And what more does power metal really hope to accomplish than create an aural and visual fantasy that takes the listener out if himself and into the world the music creates. With their amazingly textured sound and brilliant lyrical work, I don't think anyone can hold a candle to G-Ray in terms of creating that fantasy world. In other words, when you sing "have no fear, rebellion is here!' you fucking MEAN IT!
I guess that did turn into a major love fest. Ah well.
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