The
Gamma Ray line-up has been consistent for a long time, each album equalling a high quality Power Metal release. Majestic is the bands eighth studio album and the basic formula hasn't changed.
The heavy opener
My Temple is one of the albums most successful creations. The crunchy guitar riffs and ultra tight drumming is unmistakably
Gamma Ray.we are talking precise, technical and well-structured Power Metal injected a suitable amount of melodic passages. The softer piano section gives it an additional edge but overall this is a full-blown Metal assault.
Fight continues in the same high tempo style, but this one lacks most of the unforeseeable twists found in the opener. You can't argue with the excellent performance but the simply good melody, catchy chorus or earth shattering riff just isn't to be found and it never really develops into something really interesting.
Another example of a refrain that comes out too anomous is found in
Strange World; luckily the song gains strength from smart and timely melodic guitar leads.
The very typical
Gamma Ray track
Hell Is Thy Home is a clear favourite. The thunderous guitar riffing leaves total devastation behind and the chorus has the sufficient force to fit in with the powerful path laid forth. A speedy guitar solo spot makes it clear that we are in fact dealing with a comprehensively successful song.
With
Blood Religion the band has tried to create a more epic and pompous track, I just don't think it really succeeds. First obstacle is the plain and boring chorus, secondly the tense mid-section passage ends abruptly without leaving much of an impression. The rhythm section kicks ass but that just isn't enough.
In the groovy mid-tempo category we find
Condemned To Hell, resting on a playful but fitting guitar riff. The raw bass foundation is really cool and Dan's drumming is kept interesting and always evolving, so a very good track.
Spiritual Dictator has been assigned with some memorable key melodies, but apart from that there is not much else to remember this song by. It's not bad but certainly not exciting either, a problem I don't usually have with
Gamma Ray albums.
Majesty features a technical build up which the band members handle with ease, the keyboard gives it a trustworthy tense feeling. Once again I would have wished they had found a more suitable and stronger refrain to make it fully click.
Some of the missing catchiness is made up for with the very harmonious and quite successful
How Long. The great excessive guitar solo and overall easy-going approach gives this one a special vibe that fits the album well.
Revelation is the final eight and a half minute track; unfortunately it misses a well-defined objective as it sets out on what seems a rather random journey.
Some passages are very powerful but it just doesn't come together very well, take the totally undramatic ending as an example.
Honestly I don't think that more than a few songs show the full potential of these guys creative talent, it's all very nice but it doesn't leave you with much when it's over.
To sum up the lyrical dimension we are also here dealing with well known themes. The incapability of friendly coexistence and finding personal strength to act are main topics. Frankly speaking a lot of these words spin around in worn out circles and even though some passages are fairly well written I'm not exactly left enlightened.
The sound is as massive as Grand Canyon, illuminatingly clear and equally forceful.missing a more prominent bass position though.
Kai's voice isn't spectacular, but it's expressive and quite strong and in general a lot of this albums strength comes from their abilities as musicians. If you can't write the best songs, you can at least play them in a very convincing manner.
The classic
Gamma Ray style and sound is still alive, it just lacks some of the creativity and inspiration that used to be so dominant, this is in fact my least favourite by the band.
It's hard to mention directly bad calls on this album, but it's almost just as hard finding outstanding ones.
Written by
Tommy Wednesday, February 1, 2006
Show all reviews by TommyRatingsTommy: 6/10Members: No members have rated this album yet.
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