Search - Freedom Call :: Stairway to Fairyland

Shiny, Happy Metal

Justin Gaines | Northern Virginia | 08/23/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"German melodic power metal band Freedom Call is probably my guiltiest of guilty pleasures. They sound like Helloween's shinier, happier younger siblings, and their sunshine and light sound is the antithesis of the dark image usually associated with heavy metal (they named their debut album Stairway to Fairyland, for crying out loud!), and their lyrics are (almost) as cheesy as anything Hammerfall has ever written. I know logically why I should be mocking this band.



And yet I love this album. I really do. I love the melodies. I love the sing-along choruses. I love Chris Bay's high-pitched vocals. I love the fact that every song is an utterly melodramatic metal anthem. Freedom Call doesn't quite seem "metal" enough most of the time, but behind those choruses and keyboards are some heavy rhythms, courtesy of former Gamma Ray drummer Dan Zimmermann and some very metal guitar riffs. This album is bright, shiny, and super-catchy. Trust me, you'll be singing along before it's over.



If you're into the more melodic power metal bands like Helloween, Gamma Ray, Hammerfall, and Heavenly, you'll probably love Freedom Call as well, and Stairway to Fairyland is the perfect place to start. Actually, given their tendency towards repetition, this may be the only Freedom Call album you need.

"

I just feel so happy right now...

Paul E. Palubinski | Denver, CO USA | 02/14/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"So, I had a dream that I was playing Mario Kart 64, and I was on the Rainbow Road level on 150cc. On the last stretch, I managed to take Koopa out with a red shell, and sneak in front of that piece of crap, Toadstool, for 1st place. Instead of the usual boring trophy ceremony though, it was a Freedom call concert. They started with the opening track off 'Stairway to Fairyland', and everything just fell into place...



Sitting there in my kart on the rainbow colored pavement, staring at my freshly procured gold medal, and thinking back to all the trials and challenges I had to overcome to get to where I was (especially DK's cheating antics), I realized that there was no better way to celebrate that moment than to listen to Freedom Call kick off with the organ intro on Over the Rainbow.



Koopa somehow had managed to finish in 2nd place, even though I could swear I knocked him clear off the track with my red shell right before the finish line. I looked over at him, and it was apparent that he felt the same way I did about the whole ordeal. I pulled my kart up next to his, and we just sat silently, side by side, and took in the next 45 minutes of Freedom Call's live set. It was surreal to say the least...



The most amazing part was, after the show, the guys came down from the stage and challenged some of us to a friendly race. Even though Yoshi was concerned that Rainbow Road might be too difficult for complete beginners, especially in the suped up 150 ccers we were racing, in no time at all, the band had managed to borrow some karts and we were lined up on the starting line.



That crummy cloud guy signalled that the race was underway, and we all hit the gas. Of course, Toad spun out from getting too excited on the pedal, but who cares about him... Seriously. Anyway, you won't even believe what happened next. All of the Freedom Call guys got mushrooms and blasted off just as the track dipped downwards. Instead of getting some mad air and then dropping back onto the track, they just kept going through the air. They were flying! They turned around and waved goodbye to us and then there were a bunch of fireworks and everything - it was AMAZING!!! The last thing I remember was Luigi screaming, "Hey you motherf#$%ers, that's my kart!!!".



You need this album.

"