...SIŁA I PIĘKNO MUZYKI TKWIĄ W JEJ RÓŻNORODNOŚCI...



..::OPIS::..

2 years after the brilliant musicians that made up the classic Iron Savior line-up has assembled to create their magnum opus, they have provided us with yet another astounding feat of brilliance. There were some slight changes on this album from the last, but for the most part this is exactly the same genius that brought about "Unification".

One difference is the change over from current Gamma Ray drummer Dan Zimmerman to former Gamma Ray drummer Thomas Knack. Knack's drumming style is very similar to Zimmerman's, although the sound he gets out of his set is a bit more dense, particularly the more bass-like character of the snare.

Another difference is the slightly less active presence of the keyboards, and this is one of the primary reasons why I gave this album a slightly lower score. Andreas Kuck is an element of the band that helps to distinguish Savior from their inspiration Judas Priest, in addition to an excellent keyboardist, and his skills should be maximized, not downplayed.

One notable difference that probably added to the more heavy feel of this album on several tracks is that bassist Jan Eckert co-wrote about half of them. This is a positive by all standards, as it helps to give this album a needed contrast from it's predecessor.

Other than the lack of a narrative or an instrumental to turn it into a 12 song concept album, rather than a 11 track one with a cover to make it 12, the album is mainly the same. Many of the tracks bear similarities found on ones in the previous two albums, and some sound completely new, such as "Back Into the Light" and "After the War". And as with their last effort, each individual song deserves attention.

Never Say Die - We kick off the song with another cosmic sounding intro, though this one is a bit less haunting. We follow with another up tempo ride through a barrage of riffs and lead fill ins. The verses are a bit more distant sounding than the ones found on it's Unification equivolent "Coming Home", but otherwise it is structured very much the same, with a brilliant solo duel between Piet and Kai.

Seek and Destroy - High speed insanity similar to "Starborn" from the Unification album, though alot heavier sounding. Piet's vocal delivery has alot more grunts, adding to the thrashy feel of this blistering rocket ride. Thomas Knack's drumming is unbelievable, rivaling most of Zimmerman's work to date.

Solar Wings - This is Kai's lone compositional offering for this, and he does not let us down. The intro guitar riff is another brilliant hommage to Painkiller era Judas Priest, and the vocal deliver is loaded with high pitched wails that would make Rob Halford proud. Excellent lead work and some riveting lyrics as well.

I've Been to Hell - Another fast one with probably one of the most powerful choruses on the album, probably the reason why it was the single that precedes this release. Plenty of lead treats here as well, as Piet takes the helm on guitar again.

Dragons Rising - This is one of the more progressive sounding tracks on the album, containing some good keyboard work. The lyrics are also a bit more metaphorical than they usually are, combined with another ingenius vocal delivery.

Predators - The opening riff to this one sounds like a jazzed up version of "Electric Funeral" by Black Sabbath, although the feel is a bit closer to a more mid-tempo Judas Priest cooker. On this song we are also treated to a duet trade-off during the verses between Kai and Piet, one of my favorite parts of the Classic Savior era. One final note, 3rd guitarist Joachim "Piesal" Kustner plays a brilliant solo on this track, which is an important preview as he will be picking up the slack left by Kai's departure soon after this album.

Made of Metal - This song is probably the closest thing to an epic track on this album, flirting with the 7 minute mark. Some nice changes in this one, although it doesn't quite match the drama that was present on "Eye to Eye" off of Unification.

Firing the Guns - Another blistering speed track bearing some similarity to "I've been to Hell", though the riff is a bit heavier. Kai takes over lead duties here, but the chorus is the real point of interest.

Eye of the World - This song sounds almost like a hybrid of "Protect the Law" from the debut and "Prisoner of the Void" off of Unification. A really powerful chorus here and some hard hitting changes. Point of interest here is another great solo interchange between Kai and Piet.

Back into the Light - This is where the album starts to sound less like a continuation of Unification and more like it's own beast. The verses are extremely haunting, between the galloping bassline and the distant string synths and guitars, and fully realized by Piet's quasi-spoken whisper vocals. Although the song is dominated by this galloping feel, there are some heavy textural contrasts that make it quite complex. The chorus is, as usual, the focal point of the song.

After the War - Another highly progressive track that gives a slight impression of combining the power of "Unchained" and the haunting ballad attributes of "Forevermore". Here we are given yet another brilliant duet between Piet and Jan Eckert, this time they almost seem to be trying to outdo each other. Piet, in my opinion, rips out his most amazing guitar solo ever during this track. Great closer to an amazing album.

Delivering the Goods - Another Judas Priest cover to complement the amazing concept story that preceded it. As with all the other Priest covers they do, the primary contrast is the increased heaviness in the production and the different interpretation Piet gives it vocally.

In conclusion, this album rivals it's predecessor, but doesn't quite beat it. This is definitely a MUST HAVE for any fan of traditional or power metal, particularly those who want to hear something post Painkiller with some serious balls to it. Unfortunately this would be the last release with the full classic line up of Iron Savior, and as such it's become a keepsake for me amongst my metal collection.

hells unicorn



..::TRACK-LIST::..

1. Never Say Die (Album Version)
2. Seek And Destroy
3. Solar Wings
4. I've Been To Hell (Album Version)
5. Dragons Rising
6. Predators
7. Made Of Metal
8. Firing The Guns
9. Eye Of The World
10. Back Into The Light
11. After The War
12. Delivering The Goods (Judas Priest cover)

Japanese bonus tracks:
13. Headhunter (Krokus cover)
14. The Hellion/Electric Eye (Judas Priest cover)



..::OBSADA::..

Bass Guitar - Jan-S. Eckert
Vocals - Andreas Kück, Jan-S. Eckert, Joachim Küstner, Kai Hansen
Drums - Thomas Nack
Guitar - Joachim Küstner, Kai Hansen, Piet Sielck
Keyboards - Andreas Kück
Lead Vocals - Piet Sielck




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7kVP2vzZmY



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