|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nocturnal Rites: Tales of Mystery and Imagination
For many of us, our first definition of the phrase "heavy metal" came in the
eighties, when bands like Iron Maiden and Helloween were recording some of the
most enduring stuff to ever be created.
In the years since, trends have come and gone; some of them have stayed, many
more have become relics that we're all a little bit embarrassed by. And for many
years, the defining sounds of the genre - the galloping triplets, majestic
lyrical themes and dueling guitars - seemed lost, relegated to memory.
But those dark days are over. Thanks to young bands like Hammerfall, Rhapsody,
and Primal Fear, power metal is on the crest of a comeback wave. And I couldn't
be happier about it.
One of the best such albums in recent memory is Nocturnal Rites' second disc,
Tales of Mystery and Imagination. Leaving behind their death metal roots
several years ago, these Swedish boys have concentrated on all of the elements
that make power metal so damn compelling, and have put together a stand-out
collection of 12 memorable anthems to a better time.
Vocalist Anders Zackrisson deserves much of the credit for the unique vibe on
this album: his tone is very unique, a bit gravelly at times, and every bit as
powerful as it should be in the upper registers. He also has a gift for the
well-turned melody line: his vocal hooks are the glue that hold this mix
together, and the result is songs that stick in the head with only one listen.
Particularly worth a listen are the opening track "Ring of Steel", "Eye of the
Demon", and the joyous, sing-along "Change the World." This kind of stuff is the
reason we rebelled against conformity in the first place.
As with most great music, you're going to have a hard time finding Nocturnal
Rites at Tower or Camelot. Better to go straight to the source, and order this
timeless and important disc directly from Century Media.
Added: January 1st 2004 Reviewer: SoT Archives Score: Related Link: Web Site Hits: 3380 Language: english
[ Printer Friendly Page ] [ Send to a Friend ] |
|
[ Back to the Reviews Index ]
|
|
|
|
© 2004 Sea Of Tranquility | For information regarding where to send CD promos and advertising, please see our FAQ page.
If you have questions or comments, please Contact Us.
Please see our Policies Page for Site Usage, Privacy, and Copyright Policies.
|
All logos and trademarks in this site are property of their respective owner. The comments are property of their posters, all other content © Sea of Tranquility
SoT is Hosted by SpeedSoft.com
|
|