At Vance - Facing Your Enemy

 O.k. I was listening to this epic album when I realized which album it had a familiar sound with.
Yngwie Malmsteen’s trilogy comes to mind. This band is that good. Don’t go to see the Avengers movie
or Spiderman until you have bought this album. Good album cover art as well and that is important.
 Years ago I bought Queensryche’s  “The Warning” simply cause of its artwork and I was not
Disappointed.

 Unparrelled songwriting on a par with some of the greats. These guys are like a juggernaut of  clever
chorus and classic metal hook writing. This is quality European Metal to the extreme. I get all I could ask
for here, over the top vocals, equally over the top guitar shredding and a killer backline that pounds my face in.

 “Heaven is Calling”, “Facing Your Enemy”, and “Eyes of a stranger” are killer cuts that kick off this
 album in a true European metal style. They are chock full of classic metal guitar riffs and songs that
both House of Lords and Kamelot would be proud of. These songs are meant to be played ultra-loud.

 Looking into the bio of this band and it’s no surprise that I can hear so many good strong euro-metal
influences. I want these guys to rip apart the states. Radio should be heralding this band as the savior of
euro-metal. They have an edge to them. It’s like a razor..sharp and hard designed to cut but also to
make you look good. This is the sound you have been looking for.

  By far the best song is “fear no Evil”. Classic metal song crafting here. The vocals are perfect.  Very
Reminiscent of Rainbow and White snake. Keyboards and overall production very close to Kamelot and
sonata artica. But then you rip into a malmsteen guitar orgy. This is a hit. Let me write that again…this
song is a hit. Get it to radio now…eddie trunk are you listening?

 Of course you have ballads and I knew this band could tear them up by the other songs. “Don’t
Dream” leads us down a long and winding intro that build and builds like a metal staircase into the sun.
Just a great metal epic designed for those special moments between you and your significant other.
Perfect. Trust me….. Then there is “Things I never needed”. An acoustical type ballad that equally shines
Along the electric bombast of the album. This is the closer. Good but I would have preferred more metal
Rockers to end this truly great album.

8 horns on my newly adjusted 10 horn scale


 --metalrising