While the band bio that accompanies the third release from U.S. power metalheads Zandelle cites the "melodic brilliance" of bands like Dokken, Warrior and Grim Reaper as influences, these four leather-and-steel dudes sound more like an early version of their New York City brethren Virgin Steele. And that's not a bad thing. Twilight on Humanity is packed with high-end, traditional-tinged power metal that'll have your speakers shaking with songs like "Warlords of Steel," "Lord of Thunder" and the 12-minute title track.
Singer George Tsalikis has an amazing vocal range that some of the neighborhood dogs will no doubt dig, too, and the dual guitars of Anthony Maglio and T.W. Durfy provide enough variation in tone and style so that the 10 tracks here seldom sound repetitive. There is something a bit more original about Zandelle than many of their European counterparts. While these guys certainly indulge in many of power metal's cliches, they also adhere to a distinctly American sound. The ballad "Eternal Love, " for example, could have filled an arena with lighters in the Eighties, and "Delusions" sounds like early Queensryche.
The cover art – a bizarre amalgam of man, demon and bat – accurately depicts the themes contained therein. But couple that image with the goofy song titles, and unfortunately, Zandelle might be unjustly lumped together with the Manowars, Jag Panzers and even Virgin Steeles of the world.
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