With "NSYCSLT" I'll try to introduce the "New Stuff You Can Still Listen To" - segment in which I will prevent different CD's that came out rather recently and are still great fun to listen to, because - let's face it - music has gone down the shitter in the last decades. Every month it gets harder to find good new CD's. Because there are more and more bands that belong to genres that end in "-core" and more and more bands try "artistic" (mostly melodic) approaches to their music generally leaving their fans disappointed (namely In Flames). And I am not just talking about metal. I mean the whole music industry in general. Just take a look at all the so-called artist that are popular right now. All singing the same canned music either about love, party or money. It's boring. So now I will present to you a new album that still holds up to name of the band.
Helloween - 7 Sinners
It's Helloween, doing what they are best at: Being Helloween. Not only do I really like the cover, as it looks really good and fitting to the name, it's also a nice that the album was published right before Halloween. The songs are what you would except these Germans to deliver. They are fast-paced, they are varying while still clinging to the old Helloween sound we Power Metal fans love. About one third into the CD you can make otu some folky elements and also some keyboarding segments that really stick out, while being refreshingly interesting to listen to. Give it a try.
There must be something about Germans that makes them produce so many good Power Metal bands. Edguy being one of them. This is one of the best intros to a metal song so far, just listen to the sweet drums keeping this piece of art in such a nice pace. My tip: Listen to this song in the morning. Either when you're hungover, still drunk or just goddamn tired as fuck. This will pump you up and make you ready for work/school - whatever.
I first heard about the release of this CD when I was on Wacken 2010 standing infront of the stage waiting for Alice Cooper to play. While waiting for the rock'n'roll zombie to perform I caught a glimpse of a familiar face on one of the screens: Hansi Kürsch. At first I couldn't believe my eyes (and mostly my ears) as I recognized his divine voice in the chorus of "A voice in the dark" - the new single out of "At The Edge Of Time".
Immediatelly I was hyped to see that the bards from Germany decided to create a new studio album after 4 years and a very mediocre "A Twist In The Myth" and all I wanted to do was get back home and buy the fucking CD - which was an impossible task being trapped on Wacken and stuff.
Now, after hearing the album over and over and over again I can safely say that "At The Edge Of Time" is easily their best album since "Follow the Blind" (not counting "Nightfall in Middle Earth" which is still the measure of all things).
With the new album you can hear a strong back-to-the-roots approach (especially when listening to "Tanelorn (Into The Void)" or "Valkyries") that is very reminiscent of "Follow The Blind". Such an approach may not always be a good thing, but they did a very good job implying their new experience as well as stuff we know and love about the Guardians. They also prove that André Olbrich and Marcus Siepen - both playing the guitars - are excellent at what they are doing and are capable of some magnificent solos as well Frederik Ehmke playing the drums.
We start with "Sacred Worlds" as the opener to the album. This piece is about 9 minutes long and sets the mood for the album perfectly. It opens up building the tension magnificently, inviting you in the mysterious world that is "At The Edge Of Time". The pacing is rather slow but Hansi's voice does a magnificent job stringing all the different parts together and creating a piece of music that is in every definition worthy of being an opener to an epic Blind Guardian CD.
Things get sped up with "Tanelorn (Into The Void)" which makes you feel like being thrown back to the times of "Somewhere Far Beyond", as some of you might remember the song "The Quest for Tanelorn". After a very calm and slow "Road Of No Release" things start getting hectic again with "Ride Into Obsession", Hansi sounds fantastic, the guitars and the drum do a very good job with some excellent bridges and an excellent pacing. Still when I hear Hansi singing "Let ages come and go (The Wheel will turn now), The wheel will turn, Another ride into obsession" I can feel chills being sent down my back. After two not-so-special songs "Curse my name" (very folky) and "Valkyries".
"Control The Divine" is another song that profits very much from Hansi's voice, that sounds clearer than in any other Blind Guardian album, as it's focused more on the vocals than any other song on the album and it's great. Fucking great. Now, let's skip "War Of The Thrones" and get to my favorite song of the album (and favorite song in years).
I fucking love this song. I think with all honesty that this is one of the best, most well put-together, best written and best structurized songs of the last years. It is the perfect single to pick to promote your album. It's fast, it's varied, it shows how much talent this band actually has stored up over the years. The lyrics are great and very well put-together. I especially love the part "Curse me, hate me, hurt me, kill me!". The drums are doing a very good job keeping the pace and driving the song forward. The vocals perfectly embody the spirit of Blind Guardian and the guitars are only enhancing the mood. 'nuff said.
The album ends with another song named "Wheel Of Time" that is just like the opener about 9 minutes (8:55) long and what it does is leave the audience astonished about what they just heard.
I am glad that my favorite band of all time didn't disappoint me on this one after a pretty weak "A Twist In The Myth" which was too light for my taste (even as a Power Metal fan). I can really recommend this piece of art to everyone that is (or wants to get) into power metal. Enjoy.
