2006-09-28
Old school melodic metallers Dark Black certainly have that 80's metal feel nailed down, it’s a mixture of NWOBHM a-la Angel Witch and early Saxon, with some imaginative Merciful Fate-like melodies and riff movements.
I really liked the sound on the album as well, tough-as-nails in the drum section, yet crisp and clear in the guitars, everything is well put in the mix.
The only problem with this release, and in some cases, it’s a SERIOUS problem, is the vocals, Wizardman has some fine melodies and comes off as a really sharp and well handled track, but the high-pitched, off tune vocals can annoy the shit out of you.
Bracers Of The Eagle's Talon contain some improvement there, the vocals do not annoy that much, and the sure-handed playing ability makes this worth while, but there's a constant feeling that the bassist/vocalist would have stuck to playing bass the vocals were handled by a better vocalist, it could’ve been much more.
Musicianship is top-notch, I can't stress that enough, guitar-bass-drums are as well played as any well-known Euro melodic metal band, but the vocals need to change.
The Warhammer has a good and simple classic metal riff; it's done just right, with the melodic twin-channel guitars that this music needs, something like early Manowar, but with Iron Maiden-like melodies. And then come in the vocals, and shoot it all to hell.
This is probably one of the highest potential bands out there, classical metal at its best, but man, this vocals need to go.
Alon Miasnikov
