Solemnity - Shockwave Of Steel
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Enter The Axeworld |
| Genre | True Metal |
Sven The Axe
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Vocals
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| Tracks | 13 |
Nosferatu Kuba
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Guitar
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| Runningtime | 52 Min. |
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Guitar
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| Label | Solemnity Music |
Ralf Gromer
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Bass
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| Release | 01 Aug. 2005 |
Adrian Brock
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Drums
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| Country | Germany |
Sven The Axe
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Keyboards
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| Similar artists | Manowar, Gamma Ray | ||
This is truly awful… and really, really wonderful! On the cover, the band looks like a dwarf version of Manowar. But musically I wouldn't say they are copies of Manowar, but rather copies of Majesty. Sven The Axe yells on and hits the right tone here and there, but not too often. Still his voice works excellent with this kind of metal smithery. He has simply what so many, more technically skilled, singers lack - a voice with a unique character. You can compare with Kai Hansen if you like, even if he seems to be a technical genius in comparison.
The album starts with some hammering swords, wining in the wind and a couple of falling heads(?). Then the serious business begins with the very un-tight intro to the song Mephisto. The drums seem to have be recorded by ear, from another planet… The guitars could be taken directly from the local youth centre. You can't do anything but smile a bit embarrassed when you hear the solo in Axe Attack. But what do such details matter? The choruses hits you like hammer strokes, one by one! It is party metal of the finest label. Direct after the first listening I want another round! When did that happen last time with a promo from a band I haven't heard before?
These are guys who love to play and who love metal. They have also a hell of a lot talent as songwriters! Why should one not love them back? The Book Of Eibon is a really mighty ballad. Maybe Sven The Axe voice becomes a bit too strained in this cleaner kind of song. The riff in Red Monk - it is simple and we have surely heard it before, but still it's just wonderful. As fish to the chips we get a song on Russian! It might be the least brilliant song on the record, a cover on the Russian band ARIA, but it becomes a winner anyway because of the language.
After an intro with the excellent title Chainsaw Lullabye awaits the perhaps-strongest song, Black Horizon. The one who does not scream along to this chorus after a couple of beers must be suffering from an unhealthy dose of pretentiousness. And believe it or not, but even the keyboard sounds perfect in the prelude Up From The Grave. If you read the band's biography you soon will realise that Sven and his fellows have quite a bit of self-distance and true humour. For example they compare this record with classics like Kings Of Metal, Kill 'em All and Number Of The Beast. Well, a masterpiece it is, in its kind! I am totally blown away. Do I need to mention that the guys are from Germany?
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Production
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Vocals
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Compositions
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9 |
7 |
9 |
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Summary
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9 chalices of 10 - David |
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