Majestic Vanguard - Beyond The Moon

*=Staff's pick	One Journey The Great Eternity Emotions Of A Picture* Beyond The Moon Tears In Neverland* The Angels Dance Don't Want To Be An Actor Take Me Home Footprints Mystic Eye

Genre	Power Metal/Hard Rock	Peter Sigfridsson	Vocals
Tracks	10	Johan Abelson	Guitar
Runningtime	51 Min.	-	Guitar
Label	Metal Heaven	Andreas Andersson	Bass
Release	17 Oct. 2005	Daniel Eskilsson	Drums
Country	Sweden	Samuel Fredén	Keyboards
Similar artists	Supreme Majesty, Moonlight Agony

Christian band Majestic Vanguard hails from the town of Falköping in Sweden and is now set to deliver their debut album. Beyond The Moon starts with an intro that makes me think of classy folk inspired power metal, I immediately think of Elvenking and Wuthering Heights and it raised my expectations but as it turns out, Majestic Vanguard is just another band among the other semi power-ish metal bands that are no more than ok.

It starts good with catchy power metal in the first two tracks, still nothing out of the ordinary but catchy and listenable, although it tends to be a bit cliché. Majestic Vanguard have a typical Swedish sound and also feature some nice and tasteful arrangements but the album lacks depth. Often it is when nothing happens and when they move away from the power metal elements they don't have that much to offer me. Vocalist Peter Sigfridsson has a good and solid clear voice but he must dare put more aggression to his singing. He must put some more balls into his vocal efforts and get some more oomph to his singing so it doesn't turn out as flat as it does.

Tears In Neverland is the most solid and also most varied track on the album, sadly it is the only one that sticks out as rest of the album is running on fumes. Bits and pieces work nicely, mostly with the solid guitar works, but in its entire it has no bite, it is far too harmless to stand out. The production also tends to sound a bit flat and thin, Beyond The Moon is produced by drummer Daniel Eskilsson and co-produced by guitarist Johan Abelson and perhaps next time they should consider to take someone from the outside of the band to handle that part.

Production	Vocals	Compositions
5	5	5

Summary
5 chalices of 10 - Thomas