Gamma Ray - Land of the Free (1995)

After their previous album, Gamma Ray lost vocalist Ralf Scheepers to Primal Fear, a decent band on all accounts, and Kai Hansen took over vocalising duties. This album is very much like a follow-up to his last Helloween album (Keeper part two) with a strong fantasy flavour. It also marks the return of "Fangface", the deformed pumpkin-like creature from the Walls of Jericho album. From here on, Fangface become unofficial mascot to Gamma Ray and featured on many of their albums. Musically it is a lot more metal than the previous GR stuff, with the lyrics being somewhat more imaginative and fantastical. It is their first genuine Power Metal album.

This is one album that I was extremely excited by when it was released. Helloween had just dumped Kiske and Ingo; releasing the pretty good "Master of the Rings" album, but I was mourning the departure of my favourite vocalist. Not to mention that their previous album ("Chameleon", see next review) marked a dramatic musical shift for Helloween. I ordered it and eagerly awaited its arrival, opening the package with trembling fingers and stroking my fingers over the plastic box. You might say music was my life, when I was a teenager. I did not have too many friends and books and music were my escape from the trials and tribulations of a teenage reality.

The cover depicts Fangface like a cloaked comet, rising from a dreary, moonlit desert (looks a bit like the US SW) and encircling a more scenic, majestic land through which a river cuts. Two hands hold a crackling yingyang and an eagle soars beneath them. The cover unfolds with lyrics on one side and photographs on the other, including snapshots of all of the band members.

There is a Very Special Guest star on this album too, but we'll get to that when we get to his song. Actually, there's two, because Hansi Kusch of Blind Guardian is here too, singing the choirs.

The album starts with a gentle guitar and haunting vocals:

"Voices are calling from somewhere below..."

As we surge into the dramatic "Rebellion in Dreamland". This is epic power metal at its least pretentious - the lyrics are pretty cheesy (of course) but the music is complex whilst still feeling fresh and thrilling. Hansen switches from screaming to snarling and concludes with chanting.

"Have no fear.... rebellion is here!"

"Man on a Mission" rips right on in, energy and passion and pounding drums and raging guitars. Towards the end we fall into a nifty little sing-a-long bit, before roaring into the guitar duels of the pretty epic solo. Hansen is a good vocalist, but he's also an awesome guitarist. This song combines the quirk and fun of GR with the majesty and power of Helloween*. It merges seemlessly with the short and swift "Fairytale" before fading out.

The lower, epic rhythms bring on "All of the Damned" before we rampage into the guitar and Hansen's voices rasp out. The chorus is proud and loud. There are nicely changeable melodies and rhythms to keep it interesting, and a suitably rip-roaring guitar solo.

"I never thought I'd catch the rainbow, but in the end I had a dream..."

 This is followed by the stirring instrumental, "Rising of the Damned".

"Gods of Deliverance" is another epic power metal piece with suitably rousing spirit and jolly good rifts.

"Farewell" provides us with a slower moment. Kai's voice is a little raw and raspy for the ballads, but it does add an emotional edge of loss and longing. As the warrior sets off on his quest, it is with a certain amount of hope but also trepidation:

"Don't you try to stop me, all I know is I have to try. They'd be no sense in my life at all, if I stay."

Returning to the roots of speed metal, "Salvation's Calling" is like a blast from the past. Fast verses, catchy, sing-a-long bridges, a chorus that just makes you want to mosh.

Dramatic, racing; we gallop into "Land of the Free", before settling into a slower, haunting, spectral feel and rising in pace and spirit. The changeable nature of this song transports you to another time and place. The chorus is pure anthemic power, stirring and triumphant.

Light, haunting guitar turns to hymnal rifts as "The Saviour" makes his triumphant return. This blends into "Abyss of the Void". Hansen's voice does well in the slow bits now, as it drops an octave and loses the rasping edge.  It rises again for the chorus, celebrating the Saviour's victory:

"We fall to the ground and pray, cos he's the One. No demons left in this world, since he has won."

Now for the song that excited me most as a teenager, "Time to Break Free". Whilst Hansen's voice suits the music well - the savage, slightly snarling edge; this features the beautiful, clear voice of... you guessed it, Michael Kiske. Okay, so I was a little obsessed with him at the time. As pure and powerful as ever, I must have listened to this track a LOT. I can still remember all the words. The lyrics are great too - inspirational, making the spirit rise and soar - a great remedy for Teen Angst.

We conclude with the absolutely beautiful "Afterlife" a tribute to Ingo Schwinchtenberg. Here Hansen proves that he can do ballads. His voice, so raw and emotional, sends a shiver down the spine, complemented by the instrumentation structures. Haunting. A fitting finale to a damned fine album.

"Life's a dream that you will forget in the endless space. And the scars you got on planet Earth will be erased."

This is probably Gamma Ray's finest album, and one of the best true Power Metal albums. Forget about layers of complex symphonics, overbloated keyboards and the overly complicated structures that this genre is now famed for - this is pure, enthusiastic energy; raw and powerful and with some damned fast, fine guitars. True to the Heavy Metal sound, but with the passion and the intricities of Power Metal. It should be in every Power Metal fan's collection.

A highly deserved 10/10.

* Who, tbh, also had the "quirk"

Freedom Call - Live Invasion (2004)

Another of the NWOEPM, German band Freedom Call formed in 1998, with Chris Bay on vocals and David Zimmerman (from Gamma Ray) on drums and a couple of other members, including Sascha Gerstner who later left to join Helloween. It seems quite probable they are named after an Angra album song.

 I purchased this live version because a, I found it in a store and b, it seemed like a good way to get a lot of Freedom Call's songs in one handy package. It also contains a bonus with the unreleased "Taragon" ep and three cover songs (including one from Ultravox). Sadly, most of the banter between tracks is in German and I cannot understand it - not that they're in for idle chatter anyhow.

Packaging - pretty enough, but not overly stimulating. It is a live CD after all. The band, in sillouette,  facing their audience whilst lighting crackles up with the stage lighting. Inside are various pictures of the band, posting in various places, and also their names. They look like a fun bunch of fellows.

The album beings with a chanting welcome - as befits any live concert. Then the keyboards begin, and "The Spell" is unleashed.  You can imagine the spotlights strafing across the stage, the band appearing from the haze of dry ice as the symphonic sound arises around them. Then they fall into "We Are One" as the  melodies take hold. Bay's voice is mid-high and pure, soaring into a slightly nasal higher pitch, as he rises up the octave, sounding like he's smiling all the while. Repetitive lines, guaranteed to make the audience chant along.

Into a ballad now, get out your lighters! But not for long, because soon the stirring guitars and flaying hair will overwhelm you (and cause a fire risk). Bay's voice swoops and soars competently enough into "Freedom Call". Meanwhile the drums charge headlong and the guitars do their thing. Some nice lower vocals later on.

"Tears of Taragon" starts with the crowd rising their hands, clapping them together. The keyboards and low hymnal notes lure us in to this epic style piece. Nice soaring chorus:

"Fallen Angels, flying high in the sky
Fallen Angels, rescue me again"

 It is now time to undertake "The Quest", starting slow and then charging into the harder and heavier. Dramatic guitar, pace picking up. I guess the Quest is underway. Slowing again. Vocals slow, a little desperate, anxious.

"Heart of the Rainbow" offers nothing new, but Bay does sound very happy. Nice smooth chorus. Menacing middle bit. Keyboard solo! Then guitars. Bit pompous.

Fat-bellied keyboards intermingle with guitars as we charge into "Eyes of the World". It is very nice for Bay to introduce all the songs. Similar structures and vocals to all of the above.

Some nice, deep vocals lead us into a "Metal Invasion". The structure of this one is different, almost making me imagine a line up of armoured metal knights, chanting and stomping in unison.  It quickly switches back to the tried-and-true FC formula, alas.


The following tracks - "Land of Light", "Warriors", "Shine on" and "Rise up" offer pretty much the same. Solid structures, pompous keyboards, the occasional racing guitars and vocals that rise and fall up and down the same pitch. Nothing remarkable.

"Hymn to the Brave" is a hymn, an anthem, and is guaranteed for the audience to join in. The vocal style is lower, slower and far more powerful. The lyrics are repetitive but spirited:

"Brothers forever, brave at heart together we fight
Holy in heaven, will we march through space and time
Brothers forever, brave at heart together we fight
Holy in heaven, we will ever hear their cry..."

Tears of Taragon EP (with 4 bonus covers):

"Warriors of Light" begins with a good old-fashioned tribal rhythm, then a chat and falls into the recognised patterns of before. Solid, but nothing remarkable. Otherwise very similar to "Warriors" above.

"Dancing with Tears in your Eyes" is a cover of 80s electronic pop band, Ultravox. They have even captured the synth feel typical of that era, before soaring off into power metal. It's a pretty good cover.

More chanting marks the start of "Heart of the Brave". Lyrics leave a little to be desired:

"Born in a nation
A young generation
Is praying for salvation
Out of damnation"

We have piano to start "Kingdom Come". It's actually kinda haunting. Vocals are sweet and soft, almost feminine. I suppose this is the closest they get to an actual ballad, until of course they fall into the ominous chorus. This is probably one of their more original songs. It's pretty nifty.

"Tears of Taragon" again now, solid power metal song, good melodies - pretty much what you expect. With the added bonus of narration by Biff Byford of Saxon. He has a lightly accented and somewhat ominous voice. We get to learn more about Taragon now - seems to have suffered much the same way as Aina. Pretty much pure cheese, but still rather delicious.

One of my favourites is their cover of "Hiroshima", originally performed by Wishful Thinking in 1968. It translates well into power metal. Starting with traditional twangy instruments, the guitars crunch in whilst the keyboards struggle beneath them. Bay's voice casts the emotional edge well, with the rest of the music dying back as mere enhancement of his vocals.

Finally, another cover, this time one from Helloween. It is "Dr Stein". It's a decent cover of a fun song. I'm sure they love playing it. Bay ain't no Kiske, however.

Freedom Call are competent musicians, that have embraced the Power Metal genre heart and soul. Whilst they do have a certain energy and passion, they do not offer anything particularly new and original to the scene. This performance, containing songs from across three albums, I would consider all I need from this band. It gives me a nice cross section and although they do a decent job, they are not a necessary addition to any metal collection. Also, Bay's voice gets a little tedious after a time. Ultimately, it was the bonus cover songs that saved this collection for me - the cover of "Hiroshima" is beautiful.

Rating = 7/10

Edguy - Vain Glory Opera (1999)

So, it's probably time I took the opportunity to spin some Edguy. They were a fresh, young German metal band that formed in 1992, as what would probably be called the NWOEPM (New Wave of European Power Metal). Tobias Sammet, the vocalist, is one of the most admirable people in music - for not only does he have a damned fine voice but he also has a good, solid entrepreneurial sense. This is their second album, and it is something of a metal masterpiece.

In 1992, Tobias Sammet (who was born the same year as me) was merely 14 years old, and the fact that the entire band have endured, with only one member leaving them, is admirable. The band are, amusingly, named after their Maths teacher (according to wikipedia, knower of all things). They recorded demo tapes, sent them to record labels, and received many rejections saying that they were not going to endure in the long run.

Well, WIN to Edguy!

It is probably hard to be taken seriously when you are only 16 and trying to establish yourself in the music industry. Undetered by this, they self produced their first album - Savage Poetry, which was later re-mastered and released in 2000.

In 1998 (or 99 according to my cd pressing) they released this album, which brought them much wider acclaim and support from fellow power metallers. At this point, Tobias and his friends would have been over 20, and thus more likely to be taken seriously.

I already admired Tobias, but now that has just doubled. To find your dream at 14, and follow through with it - how many metalheads can claim that? He is also the primary song writer. Indeed, I think if there was one metal musician I could meet, it would be him.

The cover features an vaguely medieval looking seal - depicting two gryphons above a fleur de lies. Oh, and they're so young and fresh faced inside, clad in their medieval attire. Imagine if they'd been at our local Rockquest - I would have nearly died of glee! There's also the lyrics, of course, in a nice booklet.

In the style of old school power metal albums, this one opens with a classical instrumental, "Overture", but we also have Sammet "welcoming" us. His voice is powerful, both melodic and with a slight twisted snarl to it that he can put on when he wants to.

It them pounds in to "Until We Rise Again" with soaring, passionate vocals and inspiring, invigorating rhythms. Anthemic choruses. It is easy to see the Helloween ("Keeper") influence here, but Edguy are not mere imitators, they are a force to be reckoned with.  Pounding drums, complicated guitar structures.

More inspiring guitar, huge chords with intricate fingering entwining with them, ushers us in to "How Many Miles", where the keyboards now take flight. Another piece of soaring melodies, complex harmonies, diverse vocal styles and anthemic choruses.

"Scarlet Rose" is the first ballad, in which Sammet reveals his softer side. Delicate, romantic and beautiful, rising in power and passion. Evocative, stirring. Beautiful.

Stirring symphonies lead into the dramatic "Out of Control".

"Vain Glory Opera" is filled with power and light. Complete with triumphant keyboards and more intricate guitaring.

"We live to fight the hand of doom,we got the pride to strike the fool.
Vain glory be my wicked guide"

"Fairytale" charges in a fast pace with pounding drums and raging guitars. The chorus is splendid and anthemic, however.

"Walking on Fighting" begins with strumming guitar. Building, building, before the wall of of sound moves in. The vocals are lower, rising. I love the way Sammet sometimes rolls his Rrrs.

Another stirring ballad piece, "Tomorrow" starts with haunting keyboards and Sammet's "sweet" voice. Melodic, haunting and almost hymnal - by which I mean battle hymns, not the church kind!

This is followed by the rather more aggressive "No More Foolin'" proving that Sammet can switch from heart-breakingly longing to somewhat angry and taunting. Nice chorus though. Reminds me a bit of Judas Priest, actually.

Ad what better way to end then with a "Hymn"; anthemic, inspirational, powerful. It stirs the senses and awakens the warrior within. The keyboards help with their pompous bellows and Sammet's soaring vocals. This is a cover song, originally by Ultravox. Despite them being an electronic pop band, Edguy are not the only metal band to cover this song. Lunatica, who are symphonic with a female vocalist, do it as well.
Here's the original band (Remastered) singing "Hymn".
Here's Lunatica.
And Edguy.
I think we shall all agree that this works better as a Power Metal Song than 80s electronic pop. It is magnificant.

So, how to rate Edguy - a mix of creative genius and undeniable skill levels, passion and dedication. For an early album this is a polished and impressive album and clearly shows that Edguy DO have what it takes to endure and suceed. Tobias Sammet, I take my hat off* to you and your friends.

10/10.

* Well, I would if I were wearing one.

Dark Moor - Between Light and Dark (2003)

Dark Moor are a power metal/neo classical band from Madrid, Spain. They have survived through various line-up changes, having shifted through several vocalists, both male and female. The one for this album was Elisa Martin, she also spent some time with Fairyland (on an album I don't own) and now is with Dreamaker. This was her  last album with Dark Moor. I also own another one, "The Gates of Oblivion".

This one is an 8 track EP and has a folk vibe to it. Elisa's voice is lower in pitch and deeper than many of the other females on the metal scene, sounding almost masculine at times, whilst at others been higher pitched with a slightly savage edge. She does lack the high and pure sound of, say, Nightwish.

The album cover is appealing, albeit rather dark and moody looking. Two angels gaze from either side, at the stylised D and M whilst beside them a gloomy horizon. The lyrics inside are set in a large and very easy to read font (I think it might be Century Schoolbook, or maybe Georgia) with the band members faces intermingling with waves between them.

"Memories" opens the album with its haunting melancholia. Elise's voice bleeds desperation. The instrumentation is light and very definitely folk-inspired.

The wispy voice of a flute leads us into "From Dawn to Dusk", another folk piece with light instrumentation and a good melody. There is hope here, and faith, but also regret.

Strumming guitar and mournful melodies lead us into "A Lament of Misery" with  lilting vocals that soar into a swansong.There are strings in this song too, adding to both the lament and the misery.

Piano brings in "Echoes of the Sea" with its haunting and somewhat ominous edge, like some beast lurking out there, beyond the tide. It too has violins, leading into an energetic-ish reel, perhaps a pod of dolphins at play in the waves? This appears to be purely a classical instrumental, so how many of the actual band are involved in it, I do not know. Someone on Amazon called it chamber music, and it is rather peaceful, but quite evocative.

"Mistery of the Goddess" returns to the folk-ish melodies and structures. Elise's voice is gentle and soothing, rising in passion for the chorus.

"In my heart, in my heart, I feel so alive... with you!"

Losing the folk, we head into "The Shadow of the Nile", a bonus track from "The Gates of Oblivion". Here Elisa shows a little more vocal diversity, and is joined by backing male vocals adding a pleasantly deep harmonies. The music is also heavier, with the symphonic influences and a decent guitar and keyboard solo.

The keyboard melodies and energetic, triumphant beat continue into "Dies Irae", a track also on the "Gates" album, but this time with added orchestra. The male harmonies on the choir are excellent, and the rhythms very stirring.

Another classical piece, "Fall of Melnibone" is a bonus track from "Hall of Olden Dreams" and starts with classical arrangements but twists into folk, with choral vocals, before charging into Epic Power Metal. It is based on the writings of Michael Moorcock. Melnibone is his Dragon Isle. Elisa sounds somewhat like an elven queen, she has that slightly pagan edge to her voice and rises octaves effortlessly.

This album is quite different from Dark Moor's other albums, or anything else Elisa has done. The first half is softer, more melancholic and longing with a hint of brooding. The harmonies are more reminscient of mediaeval folk ballads than of the triumphant power metal they are more noted for. I enjoy it because I like the gentle folk songs and the emotive feel, but to some listeners it may prove to be a disappointment. It makes for pleasant background music while writing or engaging in other creative endeavours. The final three tracks are more in the manner we would expect from DM.

My rating is 7/10.

Candlemass - Ancient Dreams (1988)

Candlemass are a magnificant band, and this is the second in their Trinity of Divine albums. No, they're not called that because of their religious overtues, I'M calling them that because they are so epic, so beautiful, so haunting that nothing else I have even compares to the majesty and emotion of the sound and the power of Messiah Marcolin's voice.

Like "Nightfall", the cover is taken from a classical painting by Thomas Cole. There are four in the set, and two of them feature on Candlemass albums. This one is Youth. You can view them all here.
It shows a rich and fertile landscape, onto which the youth sails in his golden craft, hand raised as though hailing someone. The river weaves its way off into the distance, towards a ghostly castle or cathedral. In the full image, the angel is standing on the bank and waving, but it is not visible on the CD cover. It is an image to evoke a journey into the fantastical, the mysterious and the potentially dangerous.

A simple two-fold cover, the lyrics are printed in an itty-bitty teeny tiny font that you need glasses to read. On the back are tiny thumbnails of the band. They look very 80s, rather lacking in the majesty and power that their music evokes, although Messiah still looks like a wild-haired monk. I always found the skull on a cross logo to be a bit tacky, given the sheer intensity and beauty of the music. Then again, Candlemass are not the most serious of bands.

The album opens wiht the epic "Mirror Mirror"*. Charging harmonies, chugging guitars, twiddly melodies and then the Voice. Heavy, intense.

Similarly intense, "A Cry from the Crypt" has the characteristic galloping bassline and chugging guitars.

Great and looming, "Darkness in Paradise" descends. The lyrics are filled with bittersweet pain, the vocals a force of nature. Lyrics remind me of "Solitude":

"I'm standing here in silence, disgraceful place of peace, watching the shadows come closer. The birds they sing no longer, the winds they blow no more..."

Ominous dark rhythms.

"Incarnation of Evil" is brooding and immense, looming and ominous.

Starting a wee bit faster, "Bearer of Pain" before falling into similar patterns. Whilst Messiah's voice is indeed very fine, he attains the same pitch and structure for the first five tracks of the album. Individually they are epic, but together they do blur somewhat into one another.

Which makes the next one, "Ancient Dreams" a welcome change. It starts with guitar (bass?); an echoing, sitrring rhythm that reaches deep down into the soul, before the other instruments join in.  Messiah's voice is like a crystaline shard, carrying you to a mystical, magical world where dreams become reality. This was one of the very first Candlemass songs I ever heard, and it still stirs my soul to this day:

"There's no tomorrow, just sadness and sorrow, hold on to thee ancient dreams..."

The higher pitch of the guitars and the lilting nature of the vocals make this one stand out as something quite remarkable and inspirational.

Immense and powerful, "The Bells of Acheron" ring out. Some nicely demented piano in here.

The vocals on "Epistle no 18" have an intense radiance to them, seeming to come deep from the heart and soul, soaring to the skies. The music is a heavy, brooding and dark counterpoint.

Finally we conclude with the "Black Sabbath Medley". Sabbath were induitably the inventors of the doom sound, and this is a fine tribute to them. It begins with "Symptoms of the Universe", but instead of Ozzy's nasal whine we have Messiah's mighty lungs pounding forth the words, before switching to "Sweet Leaf". I can imagine Messiah, the crazy monk himself, stalking back and forth across the stage, howling into the microphone as he gestures at the crowd, then bringing his hands together and turning to face them as he switches into "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath". Then a bit of headbanging as the guitar solo comes in, fading into the lower throbbing tempo. Indeed, the mental image is so clear I cannot help but wonder if I have watched live footage**. After a brief solo, "Electric Funeral" takes over, then a bit more stomping and head-banging. A final flurry of instruments and it's over. Pretty epic tribute though!


This is a mixed bag for me - it contains two of the most awesome Candlemass songs ever - "Ancient Dreams" and "Epistle no 81", but the others are kinda same-ish in their epic scale and immensity. Messiah has a magnificant voice, but it does get a wee bit repetitive after a time.

So this one will get an 8/10.

* Candlemass's videos show they do not take themselves very seriously. It is quite entertaining, but at odds with the music.

** I do actually have footage of Candlemass live, with Tankard and Kreator I think, but the sound is distorted and messed up so I've never watched it.

Beto Vazquez Infinity (2001)

I acquired this album the same time as Andre Matos' "Time to be Free". I'm not sure why I bought it, I think it must have been receiving good reviews, but for some reason upon receiving it I never really listened to it. Or, come to think of it, Andre Matos' either. This was absolutely foolish of me, because I either forgot, or didn't realise, it has Tarja Turunen (ex-Nightwish) on vocals, along with Candice Night (Blackmore's Night), Sabine Edelsbacher (Edenbridge) and Fabio Lione (Rhapsody) on it . It also appears to be a concept album.

Beto Vazquez is an Argentinian musician who was with a band called Nepal. When they broke up, he looked for other creative geniuses to help him with his epic scale project, and this was the first album.

The cover is pretty boring and very green. It appears to depict the band - or at least a group of people, off-centre and small enough that all can fit beneath one finger. They are standing under a ray of light. The rest is vast and empty and... green. The interior booket is printed in green on black in a teeny tiny font, which also makes it very hard to read.

This is a concept album and therefore there is a plot. Like all good power metal/symphonic concept albums, it's a bit cheesy. I think. Let me see if I can summarise it:

There is a wizard, who bids farewell to "a girl" as he enters into the leafy forest of Valmourt. While he is away, a Dark King (Sleetor) sends his hosts to inade Zlord*, which I imagine is the good guy's kingdom. They destroy all in their way and kidnap the girl. Who has golden hair, by the way. The wizard returns to find all is in ruins and the king is lonely. The good king, I imagine. The captain of the guard has also been captured and taken, so obviously Dark King Sleetor is starting a collection. A strange cloud covers the valley. Distressed and confused, the wizard locks himself away, his thoughts no longer his own. This seems to somehow affect the magic of the kingdom.

Seven brave souls decide to help their king. They look for the wizard and find a broken magician instead. The only way to restore the wizard's mind is to find the golden haired girl of his past.  They then head off to rescue the captain of the guard. No mention is made of the girl again, so perhaps she IS the captain of the guard. But the hosts of Sleetor aren't happy, and charge Zlord once more. It looks like the bad guys will win, but then the good guys triumph and peace is found.

I think this summary may have lost something in the translation.

Let's see how the storyline is told in music, shall we?

The album opens with "Until Dawn (Angels of Light)". Soothing neo-classical music with Tarja's distinctly Nightwish-esque vocals, her voice soaring like an angel of light; wordless and pure. The keyboards add a somewhat 80s sound. Her clear, angelic voice mourns "my life, my king and my land..." Melancholic, melodic and quite exquisite. Like crystal, pure and sharp.

"Wizard" follows, with what sounds like some sort of traditional wind instrument, but is perhaps a keyboard. Slow, sorrowful, somber. Judging by the lyrics, the wizard is already trapped in his enchantment, and I can imagine a cloaked lass walking the empty, dusty chambers, running her fingers across strange objects of an arcane nature as she tries to understand what has happened and how she can "break the spell and free him from himself..." Oooh, harpsichord. Tarja is joined by Sabine here. Tarja's voice is a little more ethereal, fleeting like the dusty cobwebs that trail from the curtains and skeletons and other wizardly adornments.

Bombastic keyboard begins "The Battle of the Past", which makes sense because Fabio Lione (is that his real name?) of Rhapsody** fame. Hrm, he was also in Labyrinth. The only male vocalist on the album, this song is the heaviest, being pure power.

Another slow and rather maudlin piece, "Sadness in the Night" has Tarja trapped in darkness praying for death and the return of the light.

The next few tracks are all classified in a set called "Voyagers in Time". The lyrics are in the centre of the booklet, using a gatefold technique instead of the booklet style. It opens with an instrumental "Through Times I" with flutes and etheral, ghostly melodies and is followed by "Through Times II" in which Candice Night takes vocal honours.Lots of harpsichord/keyboards and flutes lead a haunting, folkish edge.

"Golden Hair", also with Candice, is sweet and innocent in vocals, even if the lyrics are somewhat more sinister. The army is coming - and likely to overpower them. She is the Golden Queen and also the leader of the army, leading them to victory.

Followed by "Infinity Space", which as a sligthly spacy feel - but that might just be the keyboards and the drums which are more dramatic here.Not surprising, given guitarist Pablo Soler is one of the fastest in Argentina. And there he goes! How many fingers does this man have? Touch of Malmsteen, anyone?

There is more flute and Candice in "Through Times III", along with a touch of sax.

Sabine's doing the vocals in "The Laws of the Future", with Tarja backing her. Tarja's voice is higher and with more of an opera trill to it. I'm not sure whose I prefer. The two entertwine together, like two beautiful birds darting and weaving around each other.

For "Promises Under the Rain", each of the three lovely ladies takes a turn on vocals. The music has a symphonic sound to it, very reminiscent of Nightwish, with choral harmonies. The ladies take turns singing verses, and it's fun to try and pick out who is who. Beautiful song, and a lovely way to end the album.

This album is certainly a pleasant one - it features three of the finest female vocalists on the metal scene and the music is serene and quite soothing with a few heavier moments. Overall, it makes for relatively easy listening, but the packaging and general design somewhat lacks in passion and inspiration.

I shall have to give it a 7/10.

Not sure who to listen to for C! I should make it something entirely different and interesting... Nick Cave, perhaps?

* Who thinks up these names?
** As an aside, he also indulged in a little Eurobeat and did this rather horrendous song "Eye of the Tiger". Which sadly is not a cover of the Survivor classic.

Aina - Days of Rising Doom (2003)

The early part of this century introduced a new trend in music - the Metal Opera. Avantasia were one of the first, but Aina came hot on their heels. Aina is the brainchild of Sascha Paeth, a German producer who produces such bands as Kamelot, Rhapsody and Epica, whilst also performing in Heaven's Gate. He called in some of his band mates and friends - Miro (keyboards/arrangements), Robrt Hunecke-Rizzo (drums, guitars, arrangements) and then contacted vocal coach and amazing voice, Amanda Somerville, to come up with a plot, lyrics and along the way she also invented her own language. Somerville is an American, but the "love of her life" is German, so she divides her time between both countries and coaches non-English vocalists. Teaching a new language phonetically to her choir was all in a days work for her, really. Not an epic undertaking, no, not at all. Not only did she come up with the plot, create the world, invent a language but also write a story in songs. What a woman!

Various guests were called in to play the various roles - including Michael Kiske and Tobias Sammet in the roles of Narrators (although they do sing, not talk). There's some good names in here - Simone Simons, Andre Matos, Glen Hughes and a goodly handful of ones I haven't heard of previously and also guest musicians - to play keyboards, guitars, bass or organ on particular tracks.  This undertaking took a mere 18 months of production and is a metal masterpiece.

The packaging is splendid. I have the limited edition version, which is a lovely hard back book the size and shape of a CD, with full colour illustrations, an outline of the world and introduction to the plot, the lyrics, photos of all the participants and the story of how it all came together. There are three card slots for the three cds, which does make extraction of them a little difficult, unfortunately. Still, as far as design goes, it's glorious.

"Aina Overture" is a stirring piece of classical inspiration, rising in power and force and taking on the distinctive "aina" rhythms before surging into the roar of guitars and other, more typical, metal instruments. Many of the rhythms here are repeated in later songs, making it tie together as a coherant whole.

"Revelations" is a slower song with choral accompaniment. It begins with light strumming and the Narrator, Michael Kiske, adds his lower and huskier voice to the mix. He should sing like this more often - it's rather sexy. The choir sing in the Ainian tongue. Then the prophets come swooping in, all drama and cautions:

"The Holy Voice calls down its warning, Don't turn your back on what he's warning!"

Alas, King Taetus (Damian Wilson) refuses to heed their words, and denies that the peaceful land of Aina is fated to change. He has a very fine, deep voice, well suited to his kingly role.

Now we are introduced to the beautiful Oria, in "Silver Maiden". The Storyteller bespokes her beauty and loveliness, waxing lyrical about her innocence whilst accompanied by flute and other classical arrangements, along with the Angelic Choir. Then the Narrator adds his own opinions in his sweet and longing voice. There is no question about it, she is perfection above all and everyone loves her.

Okay, so the plot is a bit cheesy. But it's an album, not a novel.

Now we rage into "Flight of Torek", a rabid contrast to the soothing, slow piece of its predecessing track. Pure power metal, rampaging drums, a hint of keyboards and Tobias Sammet's somewhat aggressive edged screaming. Two brothers, Torek (Thomas Rettke) and Talon (Glenn Hughes), both are in love with Oria (but who isn't, she's perfection, clearly) and when Talon announces his betrothal to her, Torek flies into a violent rage and storms off, putting himself into exile and plotting the destruction of Aina.

Heavy tribal beats, laden with menace usher us into "Naschtok is Born". Torek finds himself a barren wasteland and a vicious people (called Krakhon) that he can take control of and twist to his savage desires for vegencence, creating the kingdom of Naschtok. And all over one woman whose voice we haven't even heard yet. Aggressive and pounding, filled with rage and anger.

Seriously, I think I've heard this story before.

Finally, evil consumes Torek and he releases "The Beast Within" becoming Sorvahr. Given the references to "the night" and the illustration, some sort of beserker werewolf. Pounding rhythms again, powerful vocals - low (but not sexy-low) rising into shrill anger. Some pretty nice vocal changes between Torek and Sorvahr (both voiced by Rettke)

Now "The Siege of Aina" begins with slow and steady guitars and a touch of keyboards. The Krakhen army meets with the chants of the Angelic Aina Choir - the guttural grunts overwhelmed by the sweet, and innocent angelic voices. Baktuk (Olaf Hayer) has a surprisingly melodic voice for the character I take to be the leader of the Krakhen. Together he and Sorvahr plot their destruction of Aina, then take on the city.

"Your doom is nigh though you see it not. Our voices ride and your hopes will rot."

 He's a nasty, gloating bastard, don't you think? And all this because his brother stole the girl he fancied!
The keyboards and guitars duel. Talon surrenders almost immediately. What a wuss. Even Sorvhar is unimpressed.
Of course, there's only one thing that Sorvhar really wants...
And Oria (Candice Night) pretty much throws herself at him to save her beloved Talon.

Okay, that's a bit nauseating... Still, completely understandable.

Now we go into "Talon's Last Hope", all proggy and keyboardy. Now, we learn that in the interim, Talon and Oria had a daughter - Oriana. Whilst Talon mourns his lost love and curses himself for giving in so easily (duh), his head of the guard/chief advisor/whatever, Tyran (Andre Matos, our sweet Avantasian elf), reassures him that all is not lost. Talon declares that Oriana must be taken somewhere safe to grow and learn for the day when she is old enough to return and fight by her father's side.

Starting with horrible noises, screams and  keyboard, the "Rape of Oria" leads into a surprisingly soft and haunting piece, where Oria sings reassurance to distract herself from the torment she must be facing.

From this vicious act comes Syrius, the "Son of Sorvahr". Sorvahr sings forth his triumph at fathering a child and his army of vicious brutal monsters add their shouted. The illustrations here are really neat, showing these evil horn-helmeted creatures holding up this tiny wrapped bundle. Whilst induitably heavy and these being the bad guys, the spirited, celebratory nature of the music cannot help you feel some pride for the new father. Even if he raped his brother's wife to beget the child...

 "All beheld, my masterpiece shines!"

For a time, things seem pretty peaceful. Sorvahr's got what he wants. "Serendipity" brings back our beloved Narrator, Kiske. The lyrics are beautifully poetic and somewhat vague:

"Then the Son came to the one who'd made it come all but undone..."

"Lolae Amer" is a largely instrumental and choral piece. Beautiful, haunting. Inspires imagery of a peaceful forest glade and a pond. Where two young lovers come together. It is sweet and romantic, but there is a darker edge to it. Oriana, in her peaceful exile, has found love:

"Perfect, yet so completely strange at the same time. I've never met you, the name Syrius says nothing to me..."

Yes, that's right - Oriana and Syrius fall in love.
Now, not only are the half siblings, but their fathers were brothers, so they're about as close to full siblings as you can get without actually being born to the exact same parents.
Little bit of ick here?

In "Rebellion", Talon resolves to take back Aina and gathers together his army, calling his daughter to his side, unaware that her loyalties are now somewhat twisted and divided... As befits a call to war, this is a raging, pounding song filled with inspirational guitar rifts and keyboards.

So, the battle begins and it is time to face "Oriana's Wrath". Her warriors ride to meet Syrius's, neither realising that they actually know each other. As soon as they recognise each other, they draw to a halt. Needless to say, Sorvahr is not too happy of his son's betrayal. Pretty nifty keyboard solo, and lots of aggressive, pounding guitar. Oriana is voiced by Sass Jordan, whose voice may be strong but is not particularly feminine. She's a true blooded warrior woman even if she is also known to bed strangers in the woods. Given the sorrowful ending of this song, I'm going to hazard a guess that Sorvahr killed his own son after casting him down and renouncing his name, and then in retalliation, Oriana killed Sorvahr, before rushing to cradle the head of her beloved more-than-half brother.

The war is over, but there are many dead and Oriana must have a very muddled heart. Things are at peace again, but it is time for rebuilding, repairing, patching the wounds. Here Kiske and Simone Simmons duet together, their glorious voices weaving a spell of "Restoration".

For those who have found the plot somewhat confusing, the second cd is "The Story of Aina". Largely instrumentals and re-recordings of the songs on the album, it ends with a 15 minute telling of the entire storyline, with musical accompaniment,as told by our Storyteller, Sebastian Thomson. He has a fine story telling voice, not too heavily accented but enough for my aural pleasure.
I love this line:

"There had only been an echo of a rumour of a legend..."

The story is richer in detail than the lyrics indicated and casts Sorvahr as a monstrous god-like being who reaches down and crushes the life from his son when he is betrayed.
The rest of this CD is much like what we've already heard, with single and alternate versions of selected songs, including "Rape of Oria" in Ainian (I'm guessing) and "Silver Maiden" with Amanda Somerville singing instead of Kiske.

There is also a DVD, containing a documentary on the making of Aina, which is interesting, but mostly in German with subtitles.

Overall, Aina: "Days of Rising Doom" is quite an achievement. It switches from neo-classical to power metal, to folk and the music is richly composed to heighten the experience. The cast of vocalists is impressive. Beautifully realised and very nicely done, a superb metal opera (even if the plot is cheesy).

10/10