Search - Nightingale :: Alive Again

Nightingale's best release to date

llooc | CT, USA | 06/02/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"You're not going to find metal here. This is moody hard rock and roll without being too brooding, and plenty of hooks to make it immediately accessible.Dan Swano once again produces his smooth mid-deep delivery, 180 degrees from the deathy vox you'll hear on his other projects. Don't be expecting any Edge-of-Sanity-like music here. (But if harsh vocals don't bother you, and you also like a keyboard-laden prog sound, you HAVE to give his solo "Moontower" album a try). If you've heard the other Nightingale releases, you'll be happy to hear that the mix here is the best of the lot. All of the instruments are clear and distinct. Swano finally got himself a real drummer on this one - and the drums' sound is infinitely better than on the previous three discs. Lots of keyboards continue to set the mood. The guitar is tastefully done with virtually no noodling wankery (I love wheedly stuff, but it has its place, and that place isn't here). The bass could maybe be a little more prominent, but that's a minor nitpick.The songs here are fantastic! Melodies are instantly absorbed in the system, and it's almost a crime that you won't hear this on your local airwaves. A large chunk of this album wouldn't be out of place on the radio. (Although my favorite Nightingale song is still "Steal The Moon", out of place on the "Closing Chronicles" album). "Recollections" starts the album with a gloomy atmospheric intro that goes right into two upbeat sounding tracks "Shadowman" and "The Glory Days" followed by the ballad "Falling", which would've undoubtedly been an MTV staple had it been released in 1987.One way to judge an album is by its staying power in your listening rotation, and I find myself picking Alive Again more often than a lot of other stuff I've bought in the past 18 months. If you haven't picked up a Nightingale album yet, here's where you should start."

JP is the biggest hater on here

Ben Rodriguez | San Antonio, Texas United States | 03/06/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"JP shouldn't be saying all this crap about swano or nightingale

i can tell right off the bat he is one of those guys that (talk alot) those kind of guys that walk around knocking everybodies music, saying "if you dont listen to six feet under, or cannibal corpse, your not a true metal head." And all that crap, he sounds like one of those guys that try too hard, and scared to make a change in music because if he does people wont think he's hard, one of those guys that if they see anyone listening to a metal band are quick to call them "posers" without even knowing them.And if he knew anything about music he'd know that lyrics are the most important thing, and that swano's not just saying anything, there's a message he is trying to get across a message of "reality" and "stories" that happen to him or other people, how much his life has changed, never giving up,perseverence and so on."

FOR OPEN-MINDED METAL FANS

JOHN L. KOWAL | QUEENS, NY, USA | 08/29/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"SHADOWLAND SERENADE & FOREVER AND NEVER, the last two closing tracks are worth the price of this disc alone - very heavy with some awesome solos and synths.



This band shows a more mature and melodic side of DAN SWANO as compared to his participation in primal death metal bands like EDGE OF SANITY and BLOODBATH.



Is this band really METAL? That all depends what is your perspective and understanding of METAL music. The only thing I can really attest to is that this is some true and fine piece of work to listen to. This is melodic and progressive METAL as far as I am concerned."