19/04/04

DREAM EVIL / THE BOOK OF HEAVY METAL

Inspired, exceptional, brilliant, superb, dazzling, awesome, outstanding, magnificent, glorious, breath-taking, amazing, talented, awe-inspiring, are just some of the words that spring to mind when listening to the new Dream Evil CD.

Power Metal is in the best shape it has ever been, with the release of the fantastic Primal Fear CD in February, now comes this tremendous opus form Dram Evil. As the title suggest it is almost a Book Of Heavy Metal, with all the songs invoking the classic bands like Judas Priest, Black Sabbath and the Scorpions.

The latter is the closest to their sound on this CD and I mean "Love At First Sting" era, the vocalist sounds not too dissimilar to Klaus and the guitar riffs are as good as any the Shenker brothers have ever come up with. On the song "No Way" they sound more like classic Ozzy, so much in fact I would swear that it’s the great man himself singing the chorus.

You can’t call yourself a Metal fan and not buy this, there is not a duff moment on it anywhere and when the lead singer sings "I sold my soul to the devil" in the title track, you can almost believe he did as this is almost too good not to have had demonic help.

Best tracks; all of them.

TOTAL PLAYING TIME = 50 (Glorious) mins + 12 (Inspired) TRACKS