Review Summary: An extremely technical and majestic album showcasing the best metal can offer!!!!
This album is one of the bright shining stars in the history of all metal.
Former ensiferum guitarist Jari Maenpaa (forgive me for no accent) has single handedly delivered a classic. I mean give the guy some credit!!! He has played all the instruments except the drums in this offering. The album has achieved the feat of incorporating many sub genres of metal(folk, power, black etc.).
The song writing is exceptional and the lyrics are cold and dark and the way they are supposed to be!!!The album follows a shortest to longest track format which i am not very comfortable with.
Love the songs and all but you will find yourself bored and sleepy in the last tracks. Here is track by track review :
1. Beyond the Dark Sun 10/10 - Short sweet and one of my favourite tracks from the album. Starts with a great guitar riff includes a pretty sweet keyboard solo and harsh vocal by Jari make this a stellar opening to this album.
2. Winter Madness 10/10 - Fast and melodious. Again an awesome intro, Jari singing perfectly and insane drumming!!
3. Sleeping Stars 9.5/10 - I think the first minute was unnecessary. The riff after that genius!!. Love the way the song ends.
4. Battle Against Time 10/10 - My favourite track on the CD!! Words do not do justice to this masterpiece. brutal drumming, insane guitar solo and both harsh and clean vocals the best one can hear in this genre. I would buy the whole album just to listen to this godly song!!! P.S. The chorus of this song rules!!!
5. Death and the Healing 10/10 - Very technical guitar solo and majestic clean vocals. Instills calm in your after the last track!! Slow and an epic song.
6. Starchild 10/10 - This song goes toward the traditional power metal sound, with the frantic double bass and vocal structure. Also a masterpiece.
7. Beautiful Death 8.5/10 - This is the track where i have a problem......too harsh for my taste and the intro is wierd to say the least. Still a good song on its own but overshadowed by epics in this album.
8. Sadness and Hate 9/10 - Sorrowful acoustic guitar intro followed by a heavy riff and very technical drumming.
Conclusion : The instrument playing skills of both these guys is amazing. Jari has certainly created an album which is raw yet refined, technical and grande. He should be considered as a huge immovable force in metal history. This album is one of the best things money can buy so get it!!!!