Azoria - Seasons Change (2014)

Power metal is a vastly overcrowded field.  If you're going to get noticed, you have to do one of two things.  Either do something unique and bring your own flavor to it, or do it very, very well.  When you can't do one or both of those things, chances are, you're going to go largely unnoticed.  There are a lot of groups that become nothing more than a footnote in metal history, if they make enough impact to even accomplish that.

Where does Azoria fit into this spectrum?  At this moment, they're in the minor footnote category.  To be fair, this is only their debut, and they can only go up from here.  Still, it's disheartening to hear bands with talent and skill that just can't rise above the mediocrity of the material.  It's even more disappointing when you have a talented host of vocalists guesting on the album that should elevate the material.

First and foremost, I must talk about the guitar tone.  I'm not sure if it's Alex Oriz, or Simon J, but the riff tone is kind of flat.  This is an album that mixes traditional and power metal styles, so I can understand why they're not going for an overly crunchy sound, but this just isn't as heavy as I would expect from an album like this, especially in the year 2014.  It's got some weight to it, but I just don't get the same satisfaction from the guitar sound/feel as I should.  It sounds fine, but I want more than "fine".  I want the guitar to grab me, because that's the crux of the metal sound, but this just doesn't.  I'm not sure whether the guitar is just over processed or over produced, or just what the issue is, but it bugs me.  Guitar solos sound good, generally, and are reasonably well done, but they're not resonating with me much, either.  Bass guitar by Christopher Davidsson is, thankfully, not buried in the mix, and it does its job, but not much more than that.  Drum work by Emil Eriksson is solid and well played, but like most metal drummers that serve the songs and don't branch out much, his work is mostly indistinguishable from a dozen or so other trad/power metal drummers.

Vocally, the album should be an exciting prospect because there are 6 different vocalists that lend their talents here.  Unfortunately, this is a mixed bag.  Tommy ReinXeed's performance feels "phoned in", like he did his quick take in the studio a couple times and called it good, so for the 1st 2 songs on the album, it's vocally a bit weak, considering the guy handling much of the singing.  Mark Gunnardo brings a lead vocal to "Inside My Heart", but when you take a weak power ballad and add vanilla vocals singing relatively banal lyrics, you don't get much back.  Mikael Dahl sound reasonably good here, but the title track doesn't do much for me, though it's perhaps a bit more anthemic and memorable than the rest of the material.  "Prophecy" and "To The Land of Glory" have Mike Andersson (Fullforce/Cloudscape) on vocals, but the songs aren't lighting a fire under me like they should.  "When You Sleep" brings things up a notch, both because the song is more well written than previous tracks, and because vocalist Matilda Eriksson sounds pretty decent here.  Mark Gunnardo sounds a bit more commanding on "Love It Loud", and as a typical "hail metal, metal rules" kind of anthem, it works, even if it's a bit too Manowar-esque.  Snowy Shaw provides vocals on the final 2 tracks, "Starlight" and "Peace of Mind".  I like the unique sound of Snowy's voice and his odd timbre, so at least vocally he closes the album out with something a bit more exciting than before, and it sounds as though he put some effort into the performance, which helps the relatively mediocre material rise above a bit.

Sadly, Azoria are in danger of being swept under the rug.  There's nothing inherently "wrong" with "Seasons Change" as an album, but the songs just don't stay with me at all.  I expect that from brutal death metal and some black metal, because those genres can get by at times on sheer heaviness, atmosphere, and attitude.  Traditional heavy metal and power metal require a bit more effort in the songwriting, because when you have someone singing words that will generally be discernible with a cursory listen, the songs need to be strong, the vocals need to have passion and power, and the performances need to resonate.  I don't feel that at all with this album.  Other folks may disagree, but I didn't get a kick out of this at all.  I'd consider it sub-standard metal, from a band that is obviously talented, but needs to put a lot more effort into the songwriting, performance, recording, and overall feel of their material before it will really leave a mark.  If you can't get enough metal and have to have everything you can get your hands on, you may enjoy this, but certainly don't add it to your list over anything that the heavyweight bands are releasing this year, and certainly not over past releases that have garnered praise that you just haven't picked up yet.  Not recommended.

50/100

ReinXeed - Swedish Hitz Goes Metal Volume II (2013)

Metal bands covering pop music is nothing new, as the lines between metal and pop have always been a little blurred, at least in some circles.  Some ardent metal fans refuse to accept any semblance of "pop music" in their metal, in part because the "pop" part means popular, and metal was never truly meant to be popular, at least not in the minds of the de facto metalhead.  If I'm over-generalizing, I apologize, but I think any of us heavily into metal can safely admit at some point or another in our musical journey that there are lines we've refused to cross, only to later realize that we were, perhaps, either short-sighted, or just not willing to let go of our own pre-conceived notions of what metal is or was.  The truth of the matter is, traditional forms of metal music are often based around many of the same melodic touchstones that "pop music" is, though with a decidedly more aggressive or energetic bent, and arguably less approachable subject matter.

So while pop elements aren't likely to creep into goregrind or bedroom black metal any time soon, anything rooted in more traditional heavy metal sounds and styles will have a pop underpinning at the very least, due to the reliance on catchy melodies and specifically structured songwriting.  As such, it should be no big deal for metal musicians to pay homage to pop music.  Helloween covered ABBA's "Lay All Your Love On Me" via their "Metal Jukebox" release, and while not every pop songwriter is as brilliant as Benny and Bjorn of ABBA, the fact remains that catchy melodies, sing-along choruses, and verse-chorus songs are a staple in this genre we love so dearly.  I, for one, don't think that's a bad thing, as many a classic metal song over the years would have suffered greatly if not for a quality melody carrying it along.

So with that in mind, Tommy Johansson (or Tommy ReinXeed, if you prefer) has put out a pair of albums, the first in 2011, and now this 2nd volume in 2013, which exemplify that relationship between traditional heavy metal and pop music.  And while the 1st record concentrated solely on 3 Swedish groups, that being ABBA, Roxette, and Ace of Base, this 2nd volume branches out just a bit further.  So while over half the material here is still ABBA (who had a wealth of excellent pop songs), Tommy brings some newer material to the table as well, and most of it works pretty well.  The record occasionally dips under the weight of its ambitions, but never falters so much that it stumbles and falls down.

If you've heard a ReinXeed record, you know what to expect musically: a crunchy, yet clean-sounding rhythm guitar sound, sharp lead guitar, lightly rumbling bass, and time-keeper precision drums, along with keyboards where appropriate, and pristine production that gives the proceedings an almost "too shiny" sheen.  That's not to say that things don't occasionally get aggressive, because "Don't Stop the Music", "Rock Me" and "My Favorite Game" all have sufficient weight to them, but overall, you know you're getting a juicy pop nougat wrapped in a crunchy metal shell.  Since Tommy has a respectable handle on the ballad side of the coin, his interpretation of a song like "One of Us" works well.  Mid-tempo stuff like "Does Your Mother Know" and "Voulez-Vous" also work well, as does his interpretation of non-single ABBA track "Tiger" (a personal favorite from ABBA's "The Arrival" album).  Some of the non-ABBA tracks are quite effective as well, though I must confess I'm less familiar with the other artists.  I will say that Tommy's choice of "My Favorite Game" by The Cardigans was a good one; had he chosen to do "Lovefool", I'm not sure he would have pulled it off.  And I was surprised how well Loreen's "Euphoria" (2012 Eurovision songwriting contest winner) translated - Tommy wisely kept the basic keyboard line as part of the song, and just give it some metal muscle to beef it up a bit.

With as much success as Tommy has here in translating songs, there are only a couple misses.  Sadly, his take on "Dancing Queen" lacks the charm, punch, and soul of the original, and ends up sounding somewhat flat and lifeless by comparison.  Perhaps I'm too big an ABBA fan, and perhaps that particular song is just far too iconic, but Tommy's interpretation just doesn't do anything for me.  And because it opens the album, it brings down the album ever so slightly because it doesn't begin on a high note.  "All About the Money" is a good listen, but as a song it doesn't stand out as much as most of the other material here, so it ends up sounding a bit like a filler track at the end of the album, which is what it becomes.  These minor missteps aren't enough to drag the record down that much, but I just didn't feel that they reflected the quality of the rest of the covers, or the quality of the 1st volume for that matter.

At the end of the day, there are 2 types of people who will buy this album: ReinXeed die-hards, and power metal fans who are also partial to material that showcases a highly melodic pop or rock sensibility.  If you're in either camp, this is a CD you at least should hear, if not own.  For those who haven't discovered ReinXeed yet, start with either "1912" or "Welcome to the Theater", or even their most recent album "A New World" for quality melodic power metal that remains consistently good throughout.  For those looking for something different, or metal fans who enjoy covers albums or interpretations like this (especially of non-metal material), then this is a good CD to show the relationship that exists between pop music and metal.  I would recommend this if you liked Volume I and are looking for more, or if you are willing to entertain something other than tried and true, dyed-in-the-wool metal.

78/100

ReinXeed - A New World (2013)

So here we are with a new ReinXeed album, the 6th release in so many years.  You'd think, with all band-leader Tommy Johansson is involved in, he'd eventually run out of ideas, but apparently that's not the case, at least not yet.  The last 2 ReinXeed albums have been very strong, thematically speaking, as well as both being musical high points for the band.  This new release returns to a bit more of a traditional approach, that being self-contained songs that aren't part of a larger concept or cohesive theme.  After all the grandeur of an album about the sinking of the Titanic, followed by an album celebrating the movie theater experience with references to comic book characters, Indiana Jones, Star Wars, and the like, how will a more "hum drum" approach stack up?  Pretty well, all things considered.

Tommy and company have always had a knack for catchy melodies, and as was eluded to none so subtly via the "Swedish Hitz Goes Metal" CD, Tommy has received much inspiration from pop song craft masters Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus (the 2 B's in pop superstars ABBA).  This does not come as a detriment to the band, however, as this kind of buoyant melodic approach is part of what gives ReinXeed a reasonably fresh sound in contrast to many of their neoclassical and power metal peers.  While many bands have a "too cool for school" vibe and try to be "dark" when they're really not, Tommy embraces the more major chord melodic bent, generally to great effect.  That's not to say their sound is one-dimensional.  As anyone who has listened to several ABBA albums in their entirety can attest, there's more to things than what the radio singles tell you.  Such is the case with ReinXeed, whose more "happy metal" approach is more layered and nuanced than may be evident at first blush.

As with the last several ReinXeed albums, the music here is brimming with energy, with mid-tempo and galloping numbers leading the charge.  The guitar sound is essentially the same as you've heard on the last 2-3 ReinXeed albums - it's not discernibly heavier, but has about the same amount of sufficient crunch as before.  The heaviness quotient is near perfect for an album of this type - plenty of distortion so there's no question this is metal, but clean and crisp enough so that it doesn't distract from the quality of the overall production.  Tommy, Mattias Johansson, and Calle Sundberg all provide an excellent guitar foundation for the music here.  Of note also is Tommy's keyboard work, which adds a nice touch here and there.  He's no Eddie Vedder on the ol' ivories (insert "Jump" joke here), but the occasional melodic bits and flourishes help give a little more dimension to the sound.  Bass is provided competently by Christopher Davidsson, and is audible in the mix.  He's not doing anything spectacular here, but he provides that good rhythmic propulsion along with drummer Alfred Fridhagen.  Alfred plays well here, providing the usual double bass and snappy snare drum sound that one expects from an album of this type.  In other words, you've heard this all before, but it's well executed and generally well written.

Vocally, I think Tommy is nearing that apex where he can't improve much more, but I do believe with each of the last 3 albums he continues to sound better and better.  I hear less improvement from "Welcome to the Theater" to "A New World" as I did between "Majestic" and "1912", but he's definitely achieved greater control of his instrument, and has branched out a bit here to be perhaps more expressive at times than on past albums.  As for the lyrics, since these don't follow a cohesive theme, we have the typical metal themes of fantasy and magic, as well as songs about being a rock star and a Guitar Hero (or not one, if you're playing the game of the same name, as the song decries).  It's all "business as usual" from a metal lyrics perspective, so for those who enjoyed the more focused direction of the previous 2 albums like I did, this will be a bit of a letdown, as there are more cliches present here than I'd like to see after such quality work.  Still, none of the lyrics are painfully cheesy, and they can be overlooked if you're so inclined.

By the time the album's 49 minutes and change are up, it seems like the album came and went quickly, which is always a plus.  Rather than dragging on for that time, "A New World" doesn't overstay its welcome.  My biggest gripes with the album are from the perspective of what the music is and does, versus what Tommy says about the style of ReinXeed.  He describes it as "symphonic, OST inspired melodic power metal" which sounds fine at the core, until you realize that Rhapsody (pick your version) has been doing that since 1997 with their so-named brand of "Epic Hollywood Fantasy Metal".  ReinXeed are considerably less "epic" sounding than Rhapsody et al., and that's okay, but it seems to me that the music should be more epic than what is presented here, much like what was on "1912" and "Welcome to the Theater".  Personally, I think Tommy should perhaps explore a more story-based approach on future albums and save the one-off type songs for EP's, singles, and his work with Golden Resurrection.  Don't get me wrong; the material here is of high quality, is very listenable and enjoyable, and over the 25-30 times I spun this in preparation for the review, I've enjoyed that time quite a bit.  But the album's melodies, lyrical approach, and overall presentation isn't as memorable as the previous 2 releases, and for that, I have to factor in that where ratings are concerned.  I'd like to see Tommy explore more story-based work and keep with a theme or concept based approach, because his best work thus far has been in that realm.  That caveat aside, if you've heard and enjoyed ReinXeed in the past, you'll likely get the same kick out of this.  Recommended.

83/100

Golden Resurrection - One Voice For the Kingdom (2013)

I can admit when I'm wrong.  I'm a big enough man to recognize when I've made a mistake and need to take responsibility for it.  The consequences are sometimes unpleasant, but I've found it's better to take your lumps and move forward than to try and string things along until they end up worse.  Sometimes one has to take a bruise to one's pride as well, which isn't fun, but builds character.  Thankfully, what I'm admitting to being wrong about is the direction of Golden Resurrection's last album.  In my review for it, I said I felt like the mid-paced approach suited them and was a good direction for them to go in as opposed to the speedier, more neo-classical approach of the debut.  Well, I was wrong.

While I stand by my review otherwise, and think that "Man With a Mission" is a solid album, I'm glad that Golden Resurrection has elected to go back to a speedier approach with "One Voice For the Kingdom".  This latest release has what I feel is potentially the strongest set of songs the band has released thus far, and has begun to solidify what could be the Golden Resurrection sound - a mix of neo-classical metal, European power metal, and traditional metal with a knack for melody, keyboards to spare, and catchy hooks.  I also like that the focus, vocally, has shifted more toward Christian Liljegren's direction.  Don't get me wrong, I like Tommy ReinXeed's vocals, and I think he uses them perfectly in his main band, ReinXeed.  But this project "feels" like a Christen Liljegren band, so his vocals as the focus are part of the attraction.

If you've heard the band's debut, or even "Man With a Mission", you know what you're getting here in terms of instrumentation.  Guitar work by Tommy is as strong as ever, with more of the faster-paced playing and speedy riffs he has become known for with ReinXeed.  His penchant for neo-classical playing comes through in several spots, from the intro to "The Temple Will Remain" & the bit in "Spirit War" where he echoes a classical piece, to the instrumental "Heavenly Melodies".  The guitar sound is just about perfect for the music as well, with a very "clean" distorted sound, if that makes sense.  There's not so much distortion in the guitar tone that it feels too heavy, but this is obviously metal music through and through.  And as always, Tommy's guitar solos are excellent, balancing fret board pyrotechnics with melody and some degree of soul, especially on the album's closing instrumental, "Moore Lord" (another reference to the late Gary Moore, perhaps?).  Bass work by Stefan is solid, and is nicely placed in the mix.  Bass is present and audible, you can hear what it's doing and where it's going, and it adds weight without dominating the proceedings.  Drum work by Alfred Fridhagen is excellent, and the drum production is pretty good.  A punchy snare drum sound accompanies thick and full bass drums & toms, and cymbals ring out when necessary, though they do lack a bit of emphasis during moments when a bit more cymbal would make sense.  Keyboard & Hammond organ work by Svenne Jansson is solid, adding that touch of faux-symphonic sound when fitting, and providing an extra melodic layer in the background much of the time.  The eponymous track even has some nice interplay between keyboard and guitar, trading licks/solos and propelling the song forward.

Vocally, Christian Liljegren is in fine form.  I still believe his most impassioned and strongest performances have been with Divinefire, but honestly, what he's doing here is a close second.  He brings some of the grit he employs with Divinefire while maintaining a clean, melodic sound through much of the record.  I also believe that Christian gets better with age.  Some of his earliest neo-classical and power metal material suffered from  vocal control problems, but over time Christian has really come into his own, having developed the ability to control his instrument much more effectively.  He has also increased his range, or at least flexed his vocal chords enough to utilize the upper range and give us those high-pitched wails.  Christian's voice is much of the draw of Golden Resurrection because it's fairly unique and distinctive, so if you like it, you'll appreciate what he's doing here.  Lyrically, this record is no different than what the band has already done, though a couple of the songs might be slightly less overt than what came on the previous record.  If lyrics based upon Christianity turn you off, these won't win you over.  If you enjoy such things, you'll be edified despite Christian's somewhat limited abilities as a lyricist.  This isn't poetry, but it's not Reader's Digest, either.  The lyrics are appropriate for what the band is trying to communicate.

With everything coming together so nicely on the album, there are a couple minor complaints.  I enjoy "Heavenly Melodies" and "Moore Lord" quite a bit, but honestly, 2 instrumental tracks is a bit much for an album with only 8 vocal tracks.  Perhaps the band is trying not to overstay their welcome in your CD or MP3 player, which is good, but I would maybe have included either 1 less instrumental, or perhaps added an additional vocal track in between them so it didn't seem like instrumental work was dominating the second half of the album.  Be that as it may, I would hope the band would play "Heavenly Melodies" during concerts to give Christian a breath-break and showcase Tommy's skills.  Also, I agree with a couple of the other reviews I've read that the title track is a bit weak and disappointing.  It's not bad, per se, it's just not title track material in the same way that the title tracks for the 1st 2 albums were.  It's just a bit nondescript and less memorable than much of the rest of the material.  Overall, however, this is a contender for the band's strongest release, and certainly worthy of the name they've made for themselves.  Recommended.

83/100

ReinXeed - 1912 (2011)

Tommy Johansson is a smart guy.  After a couple early attempts at putting the ReinXeed project together, he finally got started with a full album release in 2008 and has been going at breakneck speed ever since.  He has released 4 albums under the ReinXeed moniker so far, one each from 2008 through 2011, as well as participating in both Golden Resurrection albums in 2010 and 2011.  He also recorded a compilation called "Swedish Hitz Goes Metal" which takes classic pop hits from Ace of Base, ABBA and other Swedish pop stars and metalize them.  This idea is not new, as Helloween did an ABBA cover (along with several other varying styles) a few years back, but certainly the man has done his fair share of making a name for himself within the European metal scene over the last 4 years.

The other thing that Tommy has done is consistently improve upon himself during that timeframe.  By all accounts, each ReinXeed album is an improvement over the previous release.  While I can't speak for the 1st 2 ReinXeed releases, as I haven't acquired or heard them yet, I will say that 1912 is a step up from Majestic both in terms of songwriting and overall performance.  While Majestic was a fine album of neoclassical power metal, it had a hard time (like many of its peers) of separating itself from the pack, though the guitar work certainly helped it gain ground.  1912 puts ReinXeed in another league, however, by doing more interesting things melodically, pushing Tommy vocally in terms of combining that pop sense of melodicism with the, erm, "majestic" (sorry, pun intended) feel that this style demands, and by improved songwriting that makes the album a more interesting listen throughout.  Where Majestic was content to take the rote neoclassical and power metal formulas and add Tommy's fretboard magic on top, 1912 becomes a much more fully realized release, due in part to the concept and storyline of the sinking of the Titanic.  Much like the blockbuster film on the same subject, this album takes the event and turns it into a more personal and interesting affair than simply the sinking of the world's largest cruise ship.

Musically, this album is quite the tour de force.  Tommy is in fine form, pumping out melodic, unique, and catchy riffs that allow the songs to be both firmly grounded, but also weightless and majestic due to the bombast.  Lead playing is as good as you've ever heard from Tommy, with a nice combination of both tasteful licks and shredding leads to keep guitar solo fans happy.  Drum work by Viktor Olofsson is quite good, with plenty of galloping rhythms, and his playing here is rife with precision.  Bass by Nic Svensson is also good, though a bit less audible in the mix.  Additional guitar work by Matias Johansson and Calle Sundberg is as it should be, with precise playing that is at once emotive and powerful.  Tommy is no slouch on the keyboards as well, with several nice spots where he allows that instrument to shine without taking center stage or over-utilizing it.  Lyrically, the album is strong as well, with the perspective of a passenger of the sinking Titanic through most of the songs, as well as an outsider's perspective on a couple tracks reflecting on the size, scope, and historical impact of the Titanic itself, as well as on the fact that the ship was supposed to have been "unsinkable".  One contrast I find particularly enjoyable is how the sinking of the ship is somewhat overwrought in the lyrics, and an event that likely didn't take long (in the sense of the passage of time) is looked at very carefully and from multiple angles, which takes on a bit of a "slow motion" effect from the story perspective, contrasted with the speedy and melodic power metal being played.  This juxtaposition works surprisingly well, and gives the album a unique feel to it.

Some of Tommy's melodies are quite unique and interesting, like the chorus melody in the title track.  They are somewhat remeniscent of Blind Guardian's "A Night At the Opera" album in their sort of unique approach, and also in their somewhat grandiose execution, complete with vocal and instrumental layering.  ReinXeed doesn't come off as a clone, however, which helps keep the material fresh, despite the similarity.  Honestly enough, other than perhaps the album's longevity (all this bombast can be slightly tiresome after a while), or perhaps the somewhat disjointed flow of the lyrics (going from chronological storyline to musing about the Titanic and back to storyline), I don't have anything negative to say about this album.  ReinXeed has done what every band should do from one release to the next: namely, to improve upon what they've already done and add new elements to their proven formula so it doesn't become stale.  The band has accomplished that in spades, as I think "1912" is a significant enough step up from "Majestic" that fans of the band and newcomers alike will find plenty to love here, and will be impressed by the band's overall success with fusing the concept and story to the music.  Highly recommended, if not essential for fans of the band and melodic power metal in general.

92/100

Golden Resurrection - Man With a Mission (2011)

Christian Liljegren (aka Christian Rivel) is a busy man.  And not just busy like having plenty of stuff going on.  I mean busy as in, the guy apparently doesn't sit still.  If my count is right, Christian has either spearheaded or been involved in the recording of some 15 albums since Narnia released their debut in 1998.  So by my count, that is more than 1 album on average per year.  Sure, there have been years where he hasn't released any material, and heavier periods (like 2004-2006 where he was involved in at least 5 different albums, 3 just in 2005!), but suffice to say, the man has kept himself busy, professionally speaking.  Add to that the fact that he runs his own record label(s), and you have one busy guy.  He left Narnia, presumably so he could be less occupied, but aside from less constant touring, I think Christian is probably still busier than the average metal musician.

2010 was another busy year for Mr. Liljegren, as he released the 2nd Audiovision album, guested on the 2nd 7days release, AND put out the debut of his latest endeavor, Golden Resurrection.  The album hailed a return of the neoclassical metal he had become known for in Narnia, but bumped up the speed and intensity factor a bit, resulting in a strong showing and a fine debut album.  Just 11 months (to the day!) later, Christian and company are back with their sophomore outing, "Man With a Mission".  Still present are Tommy Johansson's sweeping neoclassical playing and Christian's strong vocals.  The big difference here, however, is that everything has been amped up save for the speed.  In fact, the album has considerably slowed down to where the number of "speedy" songs has dwindled to just a couple.  Most of the material is mid-tempo, or meets somewhere in the middle between the speed of power metal and neoclassical, and a more traditional metal stomp.  This isn't wholly unique, by any stretch, but does give Golden Resurrection slightly more identity than they had before.  In a way, it's like they've taken a Hammerfall approach that says, "Speed isn't always better, sometimes it's just more."

In terms of guitar work, Tommy is on-point as always, and brings some fairly strong riffs with a good melodic sense.  His lead playing is always skillful and technically adept, while also being melodic, and that shows here, perhaps a bit more strongly than on the debut.  He also adds some vocal work here and there, harmonizing with Christian in background and group vocals, as well as doing a few lead vocal trade-offs with Christian at times (including on the bonus tracks).  Christian is in fine form here as well; I firmly believe he has only improved with age, and his material with Divinefire was (I feel) his strongest work up to that band's original demise in 2008.  Golden Resurrection has continued this, with Christian nicely transitioning back and forth between his smooth-as-butter "golden" voice, and his more gritty, aggressive tone that he uses at times to accentuate the tempo, mood, or power in the songs.  Bass work by Stefan is solid, though it's often difficult to pull out of the mix.  In other words, his contribution is less overtly obvious than the rest of the band, but when you hear his rumbling underneath, it's easy to see he contributes.  Drum work by Rikard is also quite good, with a good use of varying tempos, not content to just double-bass drum his way through the album.  He is quite solid and provides competent rhythms behind all the music, and doesn't showboat or take over the music.  Special mention must be made of keyboardist Kenneth Lillqvist - the man certainly knows his way around his instrument, and he provides an excellent backdrop for Tommy's guitar, sometimes acting as a "second lead", other times merely providing a melodic framework for Tommy's guitar pyrotechnics so the song doesn't lose the melodic sense in the midst of all the fireworks.

Lyrically, the band trudges the usual territory of faith in Christ, power through faith in Christ, empowerment through Christ, etc.  There are a couple of exceptions, such as "Golden Times" which is more of a reminiscence than an overt statement of faith, and "Flaming Youth" which is directed a bit more specifically at, well, the youth and their direction.  But if you're no fan of "Christian metal" because of the lyrics, this won't win you over, and will probably be one more album on the pile of records that turn you off.  I would challenge those listeners to keep an open mind, however.  While Christian isn't the most adept lyricist out there, he tries, and he is earnest in what he is singing, even when his stuff tends to veer into "maximum cheese" territory.  So while the lyrical themse on the album tend to be a touch redundant at times, they're at least consistent.

The digital release of the album includes 2 bonus tracks not available on the physical CD: "Point Of Know Return" (a Kansas cover), and "The End Of the World", which is a fitting and timely tribute to the late Gary Moore.  Both songs are well done and show the band from a slightly different vantage point.  Actually, I quite like their take on "Point Of Know Return" after listening to it a few times, with Tommy providing the bulk of vocals and Kenneth's keyboard shining throughout.  If the band decides to change things up again after this release, a metalized Kansas-like progressive direction would be something I could see (and would welcome) from this group.  Likewise, "The End Of the World" is a strong closer, though perhaps just a touch overlong.  It starts with a lot of guitar wizardry by Tommy, obviously paying homage to Gary's underrated guitar playing skills, particularly in light of his time in Thin Lizzy, no doubt.  Once the song actually gets underway, after a 2 minute solo-fest, we are treated to a mid-tempo rocker with a strong, aggressive vocal by Christian and some guitar flourishes by Tommy.

Overall, this is a strong second album by the group.  After my initial disappointment that the speed and power of the debut isn't present here, I think that actually works in their favor in the long run, as the market is currently overloaded with a glut of also-ran power metal bands.  I'm betting Christian and Tommy know that, and this album seems like a conscious shift away from the speedy European power metal sound to a more hybridized sound that combines classic European power metal with traditional heavy metal and hard rock, which I think will give the band plenty of crossover appeal.  It also gives their songs a bit more collective identity this time around, so while the songs start to bleed together a bit mid-way through, this sees the band moving in the right direction.  Recommended for fans of melodic, power, or really any traditional European style of metal.

80/100