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Mesmerize - Stainless


*
=Staff's pick

The Burn*
Bitter Crop
Princess Of The Wolves
Triumph Of The Darksword
Windchaser*
Field Of Heroes
Lure Of The Temptress*
Hot Lead Cold Steel
Bloody Mary
Impossible Infinity


Genre Heavy Metal
Folco Orlandini
Vocals
Tracks 10
Piero Paravidino
Guitar
Runningtime 60 Min.
Luca Belbruno
Guitar
Label Metal Blade
Andrea Tito
Bass
Release 13 June 2005
Andrea Garavaglia
Drums
Country Italy
-
Keyboards
Similar artists ---

Mesmerize from Italy are back 3 years after their in my eyes highly mediocre 3rd album Off The Beaten Path (2002). It did not at that time sound like they had much potential to rise especially high, not even by italian standards. Evidently, when listening to the new effort, they have not succeeded with that task but I have to say it sounds better than before.

It starts surprisingly good with an old and classic sound on the guitars comparable to early Iron Maiden, and a charming riff in the veins of swedish Wolf. The song has a refrain above average and could have gotten both thumbs up from me if it would not have been for vocalist Orlandini. He simply does not have the pondus or range for making the songs on this album justice. It sounds very 'italian' in every aspect - draw your own conclusion from that. Sometimes he sounds like a young Michael Kiske, but since I do not like Kiske to begin with and this is far from his abilities, it does not appeal to me. The following song is more heavy with a pumping riff but here it's already apperant that they lack what it takes in every area: guitars, vocals, building a strong song. It's too little of everything and it the worst moments it sounds a bit garage band over it all. The next song opens with a riff presumably found in the trash bin in Grave Digger's rehearsal room. Once again a nice idea for a song and a good and catchy refrain but it's too weak in every aspect too even come close to par.

Windchaser is the best song on the best album with itss nice riff and strong folk music elements. Unfortunatly Elvenking have done it way better before, so the real wow-feeling remains absent. However, I can't help wondering how it would be if they concentrated more on that genre because that is when it sounds best.

Through out the album it continues with songs that occasionally can contain very nice twin guitars and Maiden-esque pumping riffs and these moments are warming rays of light in an otherwise pretty sad exhibition. Unfortunatly it never lifts to anything that could be called a good level and the songs are quickly forgotten after they have faded out. It is too bad on the song ideas because they could have turned out so much better with proper backup (Windchaser and Lure Of The Temptress are good examples of that), but as it is now it's an album that is partially enjoyable but will not make much of an impression in the scene. Perhaps in their homecountry but I am not even sure of that.

See also review of: Off The Beaten Path

Production
Vocals
Compositions

6

4,5

4,5

 
Summary



4 chalices of 10 - Tommy

Related links:

www.mesmerize.it