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


..::OPIS::..

'Tales Of Terror' ma swój specyficzny urok, bo nie brakuje mu młodzieńczej energii, a jednocześnie opiera się na najczystszej materii, z której wywodzi się wszystko, co angażuje w muzyce tego zespołu. Teksty mają moc przyciągania, zwłaszcza miłośników historycznych realiów i atmosfery, która z nich emanuje.

FA


When it comes to German heavy/power metal, Stormwitch has been quite a heavy hitter for me since I started listening to them some 10 years ago or more. Their play style can remind a lot of NWOBHM bands through their first few albums, but they stood out particularly due to their noticeable German origins and, of course, the originality of their concept. Unfortunately, the history of this group hasn't been the most successful, as their sound progressively evolved into some sort of glam or commercial direction, which didn't work out and most likely was one of the reasons behind their break-up in the 90s. Anyway, the beginnings were a different beast though, as the first effort, "Walpurgis Night", seemed to have been heavily influenced by Iron Maiden with its galloping grooves and melodic approach. The sound was pretty heavy, and the overall pace was mid to fast at times, and singer Andy Mück had quite a long-range voice as well. At this point, coming with the second release, "Tales of Terror", we saw the band starting to expand on that initial playstyle and include some epic elements to the mix, which was, to me at least, a welcomed improvement.

Being an album released in 1985, we were still in a very early stage of the establishment of the power metal genre, but some traces can already be noticed on there. It is definitely not a huge musical shift compared to the first record, but the evolution of their sound displayed here shows a more refined work in general. This time around, we once again have 9 tracks of material and also clocking at 40 minutes. The only difference is that there's no instrumental song, unlike the follow-up "Stronger Than Heaven", which also has one. The "Tales of Terror" album pretty much hooked me from the beginning with the first track it kicks things off with, being "Point of No Return". The song starts with a chanting introduction, and once the first riff goes off, you know you're in for a treat. Structure-wise, it is quite standard, but the catchiness of it didn't take long to have its effect on me. I would also argue that Side A of the album is the better part of it, mainly due to it having the most upbeat tracks. If we take, for instance, "Masque of the Red Death", it goes from a smooth and melodic beat with great vocal performances to a fast-paced passage that leads to a guitar solo in a really smooth way. Despite all that, it isn't to say that the second part of the record is not great by any means, as the epic "Sword of Sagon" with its storytelling concept is an absolute banger as well, with its intense riff delivery. One could notice that the whole pace may have been slowed down a bit on this effort, but Stormwitch had always kept it steady regardless, as we can still see some classic speed metal vibes on the "Night Stalker" track, which displays a great sense of variety.

Although it is very good and catchy in general, there are a few weak parts such as "Trust in the Fire" and the closer "When the Bat Bites", which I always found to be a bit less engaging and impactful due to the commercial vibe of the former and the unmemorable chorus of the latter tracks. One thing for sure is that to enjoy this band's music, listeners may need to get used to high-pitched vocals, as it is the main trademark here, and put on the front end rightfully so. However, people who are Helloween or Judas Priest fans will certainly enjoy this. Other than the vocals, the guitars are surely the band's main force, and not so much the bass or drums. The album production work proves it as well, since they are the instruments that we can hear the most in the mix. The bass and drums are fine, but didn't make a particular impression on me, basically just doing the job, and honestly, I didn't mind it at all. The sound in general is also cleaner than the first album, which was recorded in the same studio as this one, and I would say quite noticeably. The approach that was taken on this album is quite interesting, as when we take an overview of the whole picture of this work, it is indeed very story-based, as each track tells a different tale, hence the name of the album. Although nothing seemed terrifying to me, it is nonetheless quite an original idea, for the time at least.

These guys surely had a great plan moving forward in that conceptual and musical direction, which they did for the next record, but that didn't last long and fell apart in the late 80s. "Tales of Terror" is a good display of progression in that matter, and is to me as good as you can get from them regarding their catalog. Even though the heavy/power metal era was quite short-lived with them, we fortunately have 3 great outputs to enjoy. At this point in 1985, the competition grew quite strong in that musical orientation, and therefore some bands like these guys were lost on the radar. In fact, for the most part, they've always been an underground band that didn't get much recognition, but they're worth checking out, that's for sure. I'd recommend this album to basically anyone who enjoys NWOBHM bands or old school power metal in general, as it delivers well and is very easy to get into, largely because most tracks have something to hook you on.

DesecratorJ


Tales of Terror is one of the essential Stormwitch albums. This, along with Walpurgis Night and Stronger Than Heaven, is a great place to start for those who are new to this legendary band.

The album begins with the solemn tones of a Gregorian-styled monk's chant before you are taken from the point of no return into a world of adventure and breathtaking sights. Stormwitch are more subtle at drawing you into their world than some other fantasy-inspired bands. Instead of lyrics that utilize regal language to paint a landscape, Stormwitch's lyrics are such that the flow of the story is more powerful than the words used. Andy Aldrian's confident mid-range singing style compliments the equally subtle twists and turns of the music and his voice has a narrative quality to it that makes you feel as if he is recalling something that he experienced.

Tales of Terror features a variety of headbanging riffs, energetic solos, and mid-to-fast paced tempos. "Hell's Still Alive" is a menacing gallop with a bristling solo and Aldrian's scream near the end of the track is pure metal. "Arabian Nights" has a fun little skip in its step reminiscent of Iron Maiden's "Twilight Zone." There is an Arabian-flavored melody at 2:57 of this track that seems to come out of nowhere and provides a strong foundation for the solo that follows. Okay, Stormwitch. Admit it. Tony Iommi commandeered your studio during the twilight hours of a particularly rough day of recording and thundered forth those riffs in "Lost Legions." Tell us what you know! Kidding aside, that's a pounding monster of a track that stands out like a monolith on this album. All fans of Black Sabbath must listen to it now. From the impending doom of "Point of No Return" up through the final moments of the vampire-themed "When the Bat Bites," every song on this album is like its own self-contained world that makes you want to visit time and again. You might as well just hit the play button after the CD stops spinning because Stormwitch's music is just that addictive.

Musically, Stormwitch's performance on Tales of Terror is tight and executed in a way that seems to put the good of the song ahead of any sort of unnecessary histrionics. The mystery and magic conveyed through the lyrics is done in a believable way as opposed to the all too common overdramatic approach that some bands use when singing about fantasy concepts. The spoken-word introduction to "Sword of Sagon" may be an acquired taste for some, but the song itself is engaging enough to make you forget about that if that's not your cup of tea.

Overall, Tales of Terror is another engaging album where Stormwitch managed to create a mystical vibe by utilizing familiar elements through a composed and understated approach that invites you into their world where a host of exotic emotions await and to where you'll long to return even after the music ends.

If you're a fan of power metal or classic heavy metal and you've never listened to Stormwitch, then where have you been? Check out Tales of Terror now and experience what you've been missing.

AsPredatorToPrey



..::TRACK-LIST::..

1. Point Of No Return 5:03
2. Hell's Still Alive 4:28
3. Masque Of The Red Death 4:55
4. Arabian Nights 4:57
5. Sword Of Sagon 5:26
6. Trust In The Fire 3:53
7. Night Stalker 3:42
8. Lost Legions 3:43
9. When The Bat Bites 3:53



..::OBSADA::..

Lead Guitar - Lee Tarot
Lead Vocals - Andy Aldrian
Drums - Pete Lancer
Bass - Ronny Pearson
Rhythm Guitar - Steve Merchant



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9574HofEtYI



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