Search - Russell Allen, Jorn Lande :: Battle

Why don't these guys record an album every year?

Sean Pearson | Upstate NY United States | 12/12/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Seriously. I waffled for a long time whether to buy this album and finally took the plunge. Oh. My. God. I haven't had so many eargasms since the last SX album. But this is NOT a clone or imitation of Symphony X. Oh no. I'd never heard of Magnus Karlsson before, and I forgot that Jorn Lande was the great singer for Ark, but I figured it was a cheap risk - and most of the reviews were good. This isn't like anything else I've heard, and I have a *huge* collection of albums. Karlsson writes incredible songs with perfect arrangements and flawless instrumental execution - and then he brings in two of the best rock/metal singers of their generation to kick it up a whole lotta notches. This album just took my breath away. I haven't written a review in a long time because frankly nothing else really affected me like this album (except for its followup). And I don't know how I can persuade other people to take a chance on buying this, I just know how much I love it and am so happy I bought this.



Put it this way: I install large-scale AV systems in commercial and public buildings for a living. I have two test CDs I use when checking a system's performance. After getting this album and "The Revenge", I burned a third CD just of these guys. The production is top-notch, the dynamic and musical ranges are astonishing, and of course I just love to hear these tunes cranked over systems that rival full arenas. I wish Karlsson spent less energy with Primal Fear, which doesn't really use his full range of writing and playing talents, and worked on more albums like this every year or two. It's not like SX, Primal Fear, Ark, or Allen's "Atomic Soul". Many of the songs remind me of power metal except fun to hear. It's just good, generally upbeat and well-crafted rock/metal.



My personal favorites: "Wish For A Miracle", "Come Alive", ***"My Own Way Home"***, and "Where Have The Angels Gone". Some songs feel like power ballads except without the inane, sappy lyrics; other songs feel like semi-raunchy grinds. I played "Come Alive" for someone to demonstrate artificial harmonics since I didn't have any Zakk Wylde or John Sykes handy. This is now one of my go-to albums when I'm stressed and need to decompress quickly. The hooks and the grooves are that powerful.



This album, while not 100% perfect, comes closer than anything I've heard in a long, long time. I wish these guys would do more work together. This is the definition of synergy in musical form. And it's incredible."