ADRIAN – One step into the Uncertain – 4/5
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This is a real forgotten gem I stumbled upon by accident on a blog, with the words “you need this.” I’m glad to say that they were right. Only existing on vinyl, the quality is thus lower compared to most modern albums being produced, and this is a terrible shame as what we have here is a brilliantly constructed power metal album deserving of better.
Kicking off with the sound of a plane, a riff addictive enough to put riot to shame and with enough variety in the sound to keep even those with short attention spans hooked, it only gets better when the vocalist gets to do his thing. The song meanders through a mid-paced masterpiece, featuring a solo not distracted by sounding fast, but rather melodic and reeking of individuality. Possibly the strongest track on the album, though given the consistent level of music being produced that’s almost impossible to determine, giving no ease into the album, but rather get it going with a kick up the backside.
The vocals themselves draw a lot of focus with their catchy lyrics (just try not singing along to “Reach the Sky” or “Love Dies in a Painful Way”) and his distinct voice. Not detracting from the music, but rather distinguishing itself from the herd a real asset to the musical force present on the album. Often, you’ll be encountered with a situation where you’re torn between the air guitar or singing along, creating a conflict between what’s more deserving of your attention, the guitar riff or the vocals. The solo’s don’t let them down either – fitting perfectly with the tone of the track, full of emotion and not concerned with playing quickly unless required, but rather focussing on playing well. Even the drums succeed in producing something interesting to add to the mix.
And there is certainly no shortage of variety on this album, with two faster paced, speed metal tracks, “Never Again,” a maiden-esque track of speed bliss, and “White Death,” which successfully manages to slow down for a ballad-like chorus mixing it up. Then there’s the two slower paced ballad tracks, “Dreamer” and “Love dies in a painful way,” both featuring a style of guitar almost reminiscent of Floyd, yet on every track they have succeeded in infusing a great groove that keeps you nodding your head.
If this band continued producing music of this level, we may well have found ourselves mentioning their names in the same breath as Blind Guardian or Iced Earth, Its main drawback being the quality of the recording. Nonetheless I offer you the same advice I found on the blog; if you’re a fan of power metal, you need this.
Highlights: Reach The Sky, Love Dies in a Painful Way, The White Death
By T. Bawden
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