Reviews
2006-02-01
Yea, I know that Seventh Avenue's fifth album is the epitome of German power metal cheesiness, but call me a diary product addict, I think this album kicks the proverbial ass.
The band sure has improved through time, the fact that this is their second album for renowned metal label Massacre Records and that is was mixed by the ever dependable Sascha Paeth and that the vocals were produced by Rage's Victor Smolski might explain some of the quality of the release, but the fact remains that the band members are just really good musicians.
On top of the bunch is original band member, Herbie Langhans, certainly one of Germany's best power metal vocalists, who also did backing vocals for Kamelot, his voice has a good balance of melody and aggression, and though the cheese factor in the music and vocals is undeniable, he's one of the factors that actually make it fun.
The music is power metal, the happy kind, but again, the band give it that tried and tested genre an added boost with their fast and aggressive double bass drumming and quite heavy guitar riffs, the opener, Eternals, has a truly heavy and fast verse riff, that goes into happy territory at certain points, but it works a treat, there are quite a lot of neo-classical touches throughout, not unlike Narnia's Malmsteen tinged melodic metal, a band that also shares their religious beliefs, judging from the album's lyrics.
I'll say it again, this isn’t anything new, it's as cheesy as a slice of German Limburger, but it's done with such flare and quality that makes this album into one of the more enjoyable power metal releases I've heard for a long time.
Alon Miasnikov
