WARNING: This album may seriously improve your mood.
Eternity is
Freedom Call's third, best and most balanced release in my opinion. I very much think the band has succeeded in creating a style that is rather special; highly symphonic keyboard melodies and fast double bass drumming are important aspects. What is most unique about
Freedom Call though is the fantastic hymn-like catchy melodies and choruses, and this album is packed with them.
These aspects are even more central on Eternity than previously. This time around the very loose concept story continues and the lyrics can more or less be read as small stories in themselves. Overall I find the lyrics quite decent but not very varied and at times simple, but then again these songs don't really call out for profoundness. Some songs manage to get an interesting and emotional vibe going that interacts nicely with the atmosphere in the tracks. I will now comment on some selected songs.
Flying High is one my favourites from this album, its bright and ultra catchy melody is very contagious and the symphonic keyboard arrangements works splendidly.
Chris Bay's illuminating and melodic vocals fits this style of music perfectly and his great vocals plays an important part on the whole album.
In the hymn
Ages Of Power we are reminded of who's behind the drum kit
, Dan Zimmermann puts a lot of details into his powerful playing-style and delivers a great effort on this release. The huge catchy chorus gives the song a very positive profile, and as a contrast a dark mid-section is brilliantly incorporated involving a raw and dark growl passage. That's exactly one of the best things about this album, even though many songs are pretty happy in profile, the rhythm section is fast and heavy.
Bleeding Heart is the albums best working ballad. A song about love and the longing and misery it carries along, the atmosphere does quite well in capturing these emotions. The track involves great piano parts, deep bass lines, a huge chorus and a thrilling acoustic guitar solo.
Warriors relies very much on its huge and all-embracing chorus. The way the extremely harmonious guitar lead and harder rhythm guitar riff works together sounds fantastic. The cool melodic guitar solo is also very refreshing; more solos here and there wouldn't have hurt the album. The lyrical theme about fighting for freedom is of course also very sympathetic and goes nicely with the mood.
Land Of Light also has this very bright and happy profile, the main keyboard melody is just amazing if you ask me, we're approaching something that could be called ultra catchy here but the harder bass lines and tight rocking rhythm balances things nicely out.
It's songs like these that have become very special to me, its kind of a therapy thing, I can't help feeling much better afterwards.
The time has come when I must ask myself what then is not so fantastic about this release. There are two songs that halt a bit. The ballad
Turn Back Time is one of them, it becomes a bit monotone and the very calm parts are not that exciting either. In all fairness the symphonic background and bombastic vocal parts are very good.
Flame In The Night contains great symphonic effect moods, but the chorus quickly becomes stretched out due to the fact that it really isn't that captivating, like
Turn Back Time I miss some action here. Two "only" decent songs out of 11, that doesn't really disturb my general view of an extremely brilliant album.
The production is overall great and crystal clear without losing too much depth, matching the overall musical profile in a suitable way; anyway the bass could with success have been treated with a higher mix.
If you like well-played and melodic Power Metal like Rhapsody, Hammerfall,
Stratovarius or
Sonata Arctica there's a very good chance you will like this too. Indeed a very positive and catchy collection of songs.
Written by
Tommy Sunday, December 28, 2003
Show all reviews by TommyRatingsTommy: 8.5/10Members: No members have rated this album yet.
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