Gaia Epicus
Symphony of Glory
5.6
Synopsis:
Power/Traditional metal with a good singer and raw production.
Review:
I have some good news, readers: this motherfucking disc isn't that bad. Serious. The singer is a Klaus Meine style through the noser, the guitars are way up in the mix, and music never gets that sickly sweet smell I have learned to associate with these bands. This has its rough edges left intact, and it gains some cred for it. I say if you are not going to go for anything original or even contemporary, at least make it sound live or something. Give it some kind of edge or interest I can't get from all the others doing this. And this band does that. Problem is, sometimes it almost sounds amateurish. But hey, considering the norm, I can forgive these occasional lapses.
That is, if the music was anything to write home about. Sadly, it's not. It is, again, not as bad as it can get in these genres. It's Happy Metal for Happy Metalheads, sometimes pure galloping power, sometimes old timey chunky cut and slash riffing. No keys (apart form some intros and whatnot, THANK FUCK) and a rhythm guitar sound so up front it can almost drown out the singing and soloing. But, damnit to hell, I remember when Raven was doing this kind of stuff and it sounded fresh and new. I remember all the local bands trying to rip off the "Wasted Years" opening riff to about as much success as "Miracles". I remember the beer drinking sing along choruses of Slade and Quiet Riot. What I am saying is I remember everything about this record, only by someone else. And damn it, I was there and I left it behind for a fucking reason. It got OLD.
If I weren't me and weren't sick and tired of everything about this kind of metal...how would I feel about this? I would have ate this shit up in '83. As I said, the singer has that nifty Scorpions or Biff Byford from Saxon everyman voice that hits all the important notes but never pretends to be a better version of Ian Gillan. The band does play its ass off, and the musicianship, as always for this style, is more or less impeccable. If you can avoid comprehending the lyrics, you will probably be a happier person. And as I said the production is almost too raw, sometimes making it sound like the tempo is lagging or the drummer is missing the fills. I am writing it off as a production issue, but it may not be. But, as I also said, I prefer it to the Boston-perfect style these bands usually get.
But the bottom line is there is no way I can recommend something this tired. This is another case of advising you, should you really feel the need to listen to some power/trad metal, to pick up Power and the Glory by Saxon, All For One by Raven and Blackout by the Scorps. If you already have all these and you still can't get enough, then I say add a star to each of the above numbers, except musicianship, which is what it is. Yes, it made me want to listen to something modern and interesting rather than sit through it three times, but if you had my balls in a vice and were forcing me to choose a power/trad record released this year, this one would probably be it. How is that for a ringing endorsement?
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Gaia EpicusSatrap
3/17/2004