25 Jan 2005
Untitled Document
The back of the booklet invites us to 'Join the Rock Revolution!' and it's pretty hard to refuse. This Flint, Michigan four-piece plays a very nostalgic brand of rock/metal that brings to mind the likes of UFO, Samson and Riot without sounding contrived or imitative.
As the melodic rocker "Out of Control" unfolds, the Bruce Dickinson-like vocal skills of Tim Moody impress the most, while the twin-guitar work by him and Paul Owsinski comes to the fore on the speedier "Tales of Old." Just to prove they aren't living entirely in the past, some more modern elements creep into tracks like "Miles Beyond" and "Rock Revolution" - just a bit though. The wonderfully triumphant gallop of "A Call to Odin" closes the album in fine style.
The production isn't stellar but for a self-released album, it's actually very good and the performances show a coherence and unity not often heard by such a young band (they formed in Oct. of 2002 according to their bio). The energy wanes a little on a couple tracks, but overall the quality of the musicianship and songwriting makes this well worth investigating for anyone who claims to be a fan of classic metal. http://milesbeyond.net
Daniel Hinds
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