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As
I heard this for the first time I thought: why should I review a
mainstream hard rock album like this? Our editor asked me to give it
another chance: “It’ll grow on you”, he said, and I must admit
he was partly right.
First
impression is classic 80’s/90’s-metal/hardrock sound – I
thought of Mötley Crüe, Vengeance, Pretty Maids (fast version) and
bands like them, listening to some of the tracks… On the other
hand they’re also trying to go in a more progressive direction (in
the vein of Dream Theater and harder), but they don’t seem willing
to go all the way.
The tracks on the album covers a wide range of styles, from fast
(“The Voice Commanding You” and “Salvation: Suicide”) over
mid-tempo rockers (“Passing By” and “Scream Your Heart Out”)
to heavy-rock ballads (“Breaking Ties” and partly “So Near So
Far”).
There’s a bit Arabian/oriental inspiration in some of the intros
(“So Near So Far”) to spice things up a little, but most of the
way it’s pretty much straight ahead.
The
musicians are all very able, and everyone has a place in the
sound-picture, but the guitarists are clearly the driving force of
the band. If you like solos there’s a lot for you on this album.
On the better tracks the singer Edu Falaschi actually sounds similar
to James LaBrie in voice, style and phrasing, maybe with a hint of
Geoff Tate from the better days (not bad!), but generally the vocals
are too “sweet” and 80’s-like to me…
The
cover doesn’t clear up the supposed concept of the album, and
several of Angra’s earlier covers were much cooler…
Some
parts of this album I really like, but my general impression is that
it turns out to be a bit messy mixture – like they sit between two
chairs, progressive power metal and heavy rock, and it becomes neither.
I
remember I was excited when I heard “Holy Land” years back, because the sound was different from what I knew
then, but this one doesn’t really turn me on. It’s not bad at
all, but in the long run not very exciting either - it seems to me,
I’ve heard it before. I don’t know if it will land in my player
again, when I’ve once put it on the shelf, maybe for cozy
background…
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