Astral Doors
Astralism

Release date: March 24th 2006
Label: Locomotive Records
Distribution: Target (Denmark)
Website:
www.astraldoors.com
Style:
Heavy Metal

Rating: 93/100
Reviewed by: Kenn Jensen
Date: April 3rd 2006

Not in a million years would I have thought that Astral Doors was able to surpass their last album "Evil is Forever" this much. Not only is this album better in every aspect, it is a huge step forward and to date their most mature album.

Astral Doors do still wear their influences on the outside, old school classic heavy metal with roots in Dio, Rainbow and Black Sabbath. Ever tried to imagine how the 3rd album from Dio would have sounded hadn't he chosen a more commercial sound? Well without knowing, something like this album is a pretty good guess...

Traditional Hammond organ sounds, outstanding vocal acrobatics from Nils Patrick Johansson and a rock solid rhythm section lays the foundations. But the biggest improvement has to be in the guitar department, excellent riffs and some of the coolest twin and single leads I've heard for some time.

An album packed with excellent traditional metal, a production that fits the music like a hand in a glove and another outstanding artwork from Mattias Norén - what more can you ask for in a metal album?

The bricks are in place, this album has all the qualities to take Astral Doors even further up the latter and I can only strongly recommend this outstanding album to all metal fans out there!

Recommended tracks: All of them, there not a single bad note on this album!