Majestic
Mayan/Sanctuary Music
Since Kai Hansen left Helloween back in the late '80s to form Gamma Ray, the band has gone through several lineup changes but musically they've maintained their classic brand of German power-metal that has made them one of the great contenders of traditional European metal. In my opinion, Kai Hansen and Gamma Ray have far surpassed Helloween when it comes down to it, yet unfortunately they haven't achieved the success and respect (at least not here in America) they so rightfully deserve. Gamma Ray has often been accused of riding the coat tail of Helloween but, let's face it, although musically similar, their lyrics and themes aren't near as lame as Helloween and their music is much more aggressive and far less convivial. The opening track "My Temple" commences the metallic onslaught in fine form, up until I heard the blatant "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" rip-off that made me curdle. Other worthy tracks include "Strange World," "Blood Religion," "Condemned to Hell" (killer opening riff on this one!), the metal classic "Majesty," and the closing epic "Revelation." The musicianship and production is also unsurpassed making Majestic Gamma Ray's greatest effort to date. This CD is a must for any fan of metal.
THE ATOMIC BITCHWAX
3
MeteorCity
When it comes to nostalgic rock, Atomic Bitchwax do a pretty damn good job. With their third Meteor City release, aptly tiled 3, they continue to stand out from the haze of marijuana-fueled, trend-following guppies. Although certain songs like "You Oughta Know" and the instrumental "Force Field" lean heavily toward the highly commercialized stoner stalwarts Queens Of The Stone Age, the Bitchwax write pretty good songs with cleverly catchy hooks. Alright, truth be told, the Bitchwax aren't all that original but the fact that they do a brilliant re-make of Deep Purple's "Maybe I'm A Leo" make them damn cool in my book!
SYMPHORCE
Godspeed
Metal Blade
Good to see Metal Blade active once again in releasing great power metal. Godspeed is Symphorce's second release for the label (their previous two were released through Noise Records) and quite possibly their strongest release to date. This German band, headed by the talented vocalist Andy B. Franck, show traces of the classic German and Dutch bands of the early '80s intertwined with a modern sound and great production courtesy of Dennis Ward. Symphorce combine the best of old-school and new metal. The band will be touring extensively throughout Europe for the remainder of the year and hopefully they'll be hitting the US shores soon. This is one album I highly recommend purchasing.
Shockwaves CD REVIEWS ISSUE 12 Page 11