Recommendation: Onward- Evermoving

[En Vind Av Sorg]

Onward is another one of those bands that I absolutely love, yet cannot seem to find many people who really share my sentiment. The band put out two albums before breaking up, "Evermoving" being the first. Most notably, those of you familiar with Crescent Shield should immediately recognize the singer as Michael Grant. Mr. Grant has got to be one of my favourite singers, very interesting and unique vocal melodies and great usage of layering. The production has a very traditional sound with a very organic feel to the instruments, more so than on the second album "Reawaken." Toby Knapp (guitarist, songwriter) is obviously very neo-classically influenced in his riffing and solo's, yet manages to avoid being pigeonholed into sounding like another Yngwie clone through his vareity and originality. Overall I think its just a killer album that is constantly overlooked.

1. The Kindness of Strangers
2. Onward
3. The Waterfall Enchantress
4. The Last Sunset
5. Absolution Mine
6. Witches Winter Eternal
7. Storm Coming Soon
8. The Last Side of the World

 

[IOfTheStorm]

Very very good album, although "Reawaken" is my favourite. Absolutely recommended to anyone who likes serious power metal (or just good metal) music and fans of Queensryche, Lethal, Helstar, Heir Apparent and other u.s. metal heroes.

 

[Necromunchkin]

I do hope a few people into this style of music check this out. Better than most of the power metal that gets noted by far. Sometimes the vocalist bugged me, but for the most part, it really works and the guitar playing is killer.

 

[En Vind Av Sorg]

Very very good album, although "Reawaken" is my favourite. Absolutely recommended to anyone who likes serious power metal (or just good metal) music and fans of Queensryche, Lethal, Helstar, Heir Apparent and other u.s. metal heroes.

Yes, I think I might like Reawaken a bit better as well. I posted a few samples from it awhile back and didnt get much response from it, figured I'd try this one as well because they are both incredibly fantastic albums.

 

[swizzlenuts]

Whoa this isn't bad at all, I should put more time into them.
Edit: this is fucking rocking!

 

[EricT]

Listened to these last night, thought I had posted, but guess I didn't...

Hadn't heard these guys before, but after hearing the samples and checking a few out from Reawaken, must say I am very interested in hearing the entire albums. Very good reco.

 

[skeptik]

I've had Reawaken for a while, but haven't played it much. It's quality for the style, but not quite my style. Definitely better than Evermoving, however. I like the Roudness cover.

 

[Krilons Resa]

pretty good stuff.

 

[Reign in Acai]

This is an astounding recommendation. Will purchase in the near future.

 

[Henrik Main]

Tis alright for a power metal album. But then again, I'm not really into this genre at all.

 

[dill_the_devil]

Roudness

I reviewed something of theirs for UM a while back, and it took damn near all I had not to refer to them as that throughout the review.

Anyway, Onwards - I'm catching up after a bit of an unexpected upsurge in my social life. Halfway through the first track now, with that really laid-back mid section with the cool, languid bass and Floyd-esque leads. I think somebody might have finally stumbled across a power metal style band that I might actually like.

The intro to 'The Waterfall Enchantress' is just begging for some "Hey-hey-hey-hey!" live audience participation shit. Really digging the guitar tones, the kick drum's got some nice oomph to it as well. This track kinda flew past me a little though, as there were no directional changes like the previous track's mid-section to stop my mind from wandering.

Yeah, the third one pretty much flew by as well - my head was nodding throughout, but it wasn't really sinking in. Have they done anything else that's more like the first track? That one rocked. Other than that, I found them only just above average.

 

[JayKeeley]

The first song, "The Kindness of Strangers" is EXCELLENT. I'd say it's better than anything on the Crescent Shield album, easily.

I love the vocalist on this song in particular. Goddamn, if Warrel Dane could sing like this, I'd actually like Nevermore a lot more.

Gotta agree with Dill though, the second sample just drifted into nothingness and kinda went nowhere, as did the third. It's like they were close but no cigar.

The first song is brilliant though. This track is going right on my iPOD.

 

[JayKeeley]

More 2 cents...

"The Kindness of Strangers" is possibly one of the best songs recommended thus far. You gotta love that whole "Bark at the Moon" style intro. The great thing is, the last 2:30 minutes of the song, it slows down to that emotional mid'80's almost AOR style of instrumentation with great guitar lead.

The other two songs are good, but not as interesting. Maybe over time I'll grow to like them. If I do, I'll buy this CD.