Masterstroke
Sleep
Rating
Style: Power Metal
Release date: January 25th 2009
 

So have Masterstoke struck gold with 'Sleep' or have they struck out? Well they land somewhere in-between with their no-nonsense power metal, which is a journey travelled before by bands like: Masterplan, Morgana Lefay, Brainstorm and Mystic Prophecy.

Their sophomore release 'Sleep' has ten well written, crafted and delivered power metal songs with small melodic metal and progressive metal influences, and the album has the tenacity and quality to withhold most attacks. But I do miss the extra something, the one or two song that bring this one up the next level. They need to push themselves and give it an extra effort to step out of the shadows of the above mentioned bands and stand out on their own.

Until they are capable of doing so they will fall into the category of 'solid, but unspectacular and predicable', just like so many other bands before them. Masterstroke delivers a good and solid dish with all the right ingredients, what's missing is the right seasoning and the effort to make this something special.


Tracklist
01. Transition
02. Killing Creatures
03. Turn Away
04. Under Our Command
05. Another Failure
06. Circle
07. Being Me
08. Sleep
09. Silent
10. Final Journey
Label: Dynamic Arts Records
Distribution: VME (Denmark)
Reviewed by: Kenn Jensen
Date: February 8th 2009
Website: www.masterstroke.info