Atlanta, Georgia based Halcyon Way on this their debut disc proves that there is still hope for metal! Combining the technical prowess of bands such as Symphony X with the thrash and crash of a Metallica, these guys forge a new sound that is extremely habit forming.
Now for the bad news, it has recently been announced that the band has parted ways with lead singer Sean Shields. It is yet to be seen if this change is going to be a detriment to the group as his contribution to this disc is a large part of the appeal. He has been replaced with Steven Braun from the group Ashent and we will have to see just what impact this change will have on them.
No matter what happens in the future, A Manifesto For Domination will stand as a great example of the power of prog metal. The band has created a diabolical combination of melody, power and epic metal that is a winning combination no matter how you look at it.
There is also a darkness to this disc that gives a gothic feel to the overall album. This heaviness is something that shows up more as an attitude in such songs as "Physician, Heal Thyself" or "The Lonely Road" where just a hint of keyboards give a mystic quality to the song. If you think of how Dio used keys to turn things up a notch you will understand what I am getting at. Of course, lead guitarist Jon Bodan and rhythm player Zane Matthews has something to say about this too. They are a tight pair that delivers a metal message to the masses. This along with the vocal gymnastics of Shields makes this disc one that needs to be added to your collection.
You wonder what happens when a band changes lead singers. There is no doubt that a group is defined by their front man. I just hope that their change is not a detriment to the quality of these guys in the future. But any thoughts would be just speculation and for the present, Halcyon Way has given us a true gem of a debut album. Just go get it, you will not be disappointed.
Track listing:
1. Intro
2. Manifesto For Domination
3. Blind Eye To The Sky
4. The Hidden
5. Disconnected
6. Deliver The Suffering
7. Powderburn
8. A Thousand Points of Night
9. Communicate With The Violence
10. I Fought The World
11. The Lonely Road
12. Physician, Heal Thyself
Printer Friendly Page
Send to a Friend
