Since I saw the band live on stage I admire vocalist Jo Amore. In the pooring
rain he entertained the audience by climbing up and down the stage and this
without skipping a singing line. When Nightmare started back in 1979, even I
didn't know yet what heavy metal music was and that says a lot. In 1987 they
split up, but since 1999 they are back on the metal scene. Formet drummer Jo
Amore took the position behind the mike and gave his drum sticks to his younger
brother David and the band started to record albums again on a regular basis.
Since their rebirth, this is their sixth release. Jo Amore is a good singer, he
sounds a bit like a rough version of Ronnie James Dio (R.I.P.), combined with
Warrel Dane, David Wayne (R.I.P) and Mike Howe. The music on this new album is a
good combination of U.S. heavy metal with European power metal. A kind of
combination between Metal Church, Judas Priest, Iced Earth and Nevermore. Fans
of those bands will certainly do themselves a big pleasure by picking this album
up. Melody, heavy riffs, a few slower pieces, everything can be heard here.
The only thing I don't like on the album is the sort of attempt to grunt in the
song "Ghost in the Mirror", that sounds a bit like a dog trying to bark while
being strangled.
Nightmare shows that they are still an addition to metal.
