A release by
Steel Prophet has come to equal a very high quality album. Unseen is yet another fantastic record that somehow sounds advanced without loosing touch with the classic
Steel Prophet style. The release of this one has gone by far too unnoticed.
After intense listening I have found that this is one of those releases that needs to grow considerably before reaching its full potential.
Unseen consists of 12 songs with mixed topics like sorrow and loss, politics and a critical view on human behaviour. They are overall interesting, well written and fitting rather excellent with the songs' atmosphere and course. To do fair justice to this very diverse album I will make a comment on each song.
Truth is a great track with a cool melody and an interesting mid-section with a fantastic guitar solo passage. The rhythm guitar approach is very clever and displaying cool details lurking in the background. To sum up: A positive-vibe song with tons of energy.
Rainwalker has a very experimental approach, flirting around with rather progressive changes and odd sounds that keep things highly interesting, the drums are for example immensely well played. Steve's solo spot being kind of relaxed and melodic at the same time, and Rick Mythiasin
showing some splendid sensitive vocal passages mixed with a harder line.
One Way Out sets out on a simpler but also great journey. An ultra raw and deep guitar riff is a central focus point and Rick's vivid and dark vocals are once again working in fantastic fashion.
Shattered Apart is a deeply emotional song that starts out very aggressively but has a slow and brilliant chorus line, the dark atmosphere being thick and all surrounding. Clearly one of the albums biggest highlights, the lead guitar mid-section part broadening the song's scope.
The gloomy and dark
Among The Damned follows in the same mood and Rick's voice is simply marvellous. Some part of this high rating comes from his performance, he is truly amazingly talented and adds just that something extra to each song.
This one is also a favourite, especially thanks the depressing climate, which in part comes from a background-laying keyboard and Karl Peter Rosqvist's tight drumming. The sporadic keyboard appearances here and there really enhance the albums' diversity and quality.
The instrumental and lead driven
Bolero has an
Iron Maiden vibe too it, a nice breather before things get speeded up with
Mirror, Mirror, Life After Life. Great fast bass lines and the divine mid-section guitar passages are some of many cool elements in a fantastic cut.
Magenta roams on a calm and reassuring field of positive energies, or said in another way the: The albums' ballad. The melodic acoustic guitar rhythm and supporting keyboard tunes sets a perfect stage for Rick to unfold his majestic voice, not to forget the cunning guitar solo, this is clearly another highlight.
With
Blackest Of Hearts we enter a whole different world, aggressive and yet spiced with guitar leads with a more harmonious function, not the albums best and most well put together song but nevertheless interesting.
Martyred is one of those songs that takes some time getting use to, once more underlying that this album doesn't fit into a well-defined description. Complex and odd are words that can be used here, but in some strange way the songs different elements come together and makes up a pretty whole experience. Anyway this is the albums only track that seems to lack a bit behind in an overall impressive quality, the chorus being just a bit too tame.
Killer's Confession starts out with an extensive acoustic/lead part that works really well and before you get a chance to prepare yourself for it a hard hitting heavy riff sets in. A more grooving direction is gone for in this raw track, the bass break followed by a fast section climaxing with a catchy guitar solo is a fantastic passage.
Magenta (Reprise) is a short soft ending to an awesome record.
The albums' production is quite strange, that is mostly meant in a good way though. A raw and direct sound works rather well; then again it could have gained by just a bit more clearness and more depth to the bass.
Liking all
Steel Prophet albums very much, this one gets up there with my favourites. I get this feeling that I can continue to get new things out of this record, like a lemon that keeps on dripping nice juice with each twist.
Truly a very interesting, personal and well executed Heavy Metal album winning a lot by some innovative initiatives.
Written by
Tommy Sunday, February 15, 2004
Show all reviews by TommyRatingsTommy: 8.5/10Members: No members have rated this album yet.
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