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│ METAL CLASSICS ARCHIVE │
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│ P R E S E N T S │
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│ + Iron Savior - Rise Of The Hero (Jap. Ed.) + │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Information ║ │
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│║ ║ │
│║ Release Date.Feb-28-2014 Encoder......L3.97 -V2 --vbr-new ║ │
│║ Genre........Heavy Metal Graber.......EAC ║ │
│║ Year.........2014 Khz/Bitrate..44,1/ Br ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Ripper.......anthem Songs........14 ║ │
│║ Covers.......Yes Url... www.iron-savior.com ║ │
│║ ║ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Notes ║ │
│╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Artist : Iron Savior Rating : You Decide! ║ │
│║ Album : Rise Of The Hero (Jap. Ed.) Label : Avalon ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╠════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Description : ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Iron Savior is one of those ôcomfortable old ║ │
│║ shoeö kind of bands. Every album is essentially ║ │
│║ the same and the quality ratio is generally ║ │
│║ respectable. They were never much for shifting ║ │
│║ stylistic paradigms and itÆs fair to call them ║ │
│║ the AC/DC of overblown sci-fi power metal, but ║ │
│║ as long as the music was good, it was all fine. ║ │
│║ Sure, their recent output hasnÆt exactly rivaled ║ │
│║ their classic early period stuff, but they never ║ │
│║ dropped a total dud either and 2011s The Landing ║ │
│║ was plenty of fun in all itÆs overproduced, ║ │
│║ studio-abusing bombast. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Since their band lineage traces back to both ║ │
│║ Helloween and Gamma Ray, itÆs no shock they ║ │
│║ serve up heaping doses of Germanic style Euro- ║ │
│║ power with all the typical genre conceits. ║ │
│║ However, Iron Savior always stood slightly apart ║ │
│║ by incorporating heavier guitars, rougher vocals ║ │
│║ and a classic metal spirit. That heaviness has ║ │
│║ led to some winning tunes and kept their ║ │
│║ material from becoming too fluffy and pirate- ║ │
│║ shirty. Rise of the Hero features the beloved ║ │
│║ Iron Savior sound and style, but unfortunately, ║ │
│║ the songs themselves are surprisingly flat and ║ │
│║ poorly executed. Some feel forced, others are ║ │
│║ filler and a few are total clunkers. ItÆs also ║ │
│║ overlong and contains a disastrous cover tune ║ │
│║ midstream which blows up the whole album. Not as ║ │
│║ heroic as you hoped, eh? ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Despite the various shortcomings, there are a ║ │
│║ few good cuts in the vein of classic Savior, ║ │
│║ with opener ôLast Heroö being the best of the ║ │
│║ bunch. It sports a big, over-the-top chorus (as ║ │
│║ all proper Savior songs should) and satisfying ║ │
│║ meat and taters riffs. Also enjoyable is ║ │
│║ ôRevenge of the Bride,ö which is a zippy, old ║ │
│║ school burner inspired by the Kill Bill movies, ║ │
│║ and ôFrom Far Beyond Timeö which has a classic ║ │
│║ Savior sound and a bit of Gamma Ray theatrics. ║ │
│║ ôBurning Heartö is more of a traditional metal ║ │
│║ anthem with ballsy riffing and rough vocals, but ║ │
│║ itÆs also too cheesy and a bit forced (and it ║ │
│║ may have the worst DIY video of all time, ║ │
│║ featuring Piet Sielck singing his lines as he ║ │
│║ drives to work or something). ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Iron-Savior_2014Less convincing are tracks like ║ │
│║ ôThunder From the Mountains,ö ôIron Warriorö and ║ │
│║ ôDragon Kingö which all come across as flat and ║ │
│║ uninspired, despite some cool, British Steel- ║ │
│║ esque riffing on the latter. Worse still is the ║ │
│║ awkward and slightly uncomfortable power-ballad ║ │
│║ ôDemonö which goes nowhere fast, and closer ║ │
│║ ôFistraiser,ö which screams filler to the ║ │
│║ heavens. The fatal coup de grace is the cover ║ │
│║ version of Mando Diaoæs ôDance With Somebody,ö ║ │
│║ which is so awful and ill-conceived, it rivals ║ │
│║ Celtic Frostæs infamous cover of Wall of ║ │
│║ Voodooæs ôMexican Radioö for sheer head- ║ │
│║ scratching befuddlement. If it was relegated to ║ │
│║ a bonus track, it would be a piffle to be ║ │
│║ ignored at all costs, but dropping it into the ║ │
│║ meat of the album is a highly dubious stratagem ║ │
│║ and ultimately, a platter killer. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ As always, I love PietÆs rough, raspy vocals ║ │
│║ which are so unlike the usual balls-stuck-in- ║ │
│║ car-door histrionics so common in power metal. ║ │
│║ He always reminded me of Perry McCarty of long ║ │
│║ forgotten Warrior (go find their Fighting for ║ │
│║ the Earth album, trust me) and his harsher ║ │
│║ delivery works especially well alongside the ║ │
│║ heavy, meaty riffs Iron Savior is known for. ║ │
│║ Most importantly, he always sounds metal and ║ │
│║ mean, even when things veer into ⁿber cheese ║ │
│║ (except on ôDance With Somebody,ö of course). He ║ │
│║ and Joachim Kustner do a good job delivering big ║ │
│║ riffs and fun harmonies and whether theyÆre in ║ │
│║ speedy, Helloween-y mode or their stripped-down, ║ │
│║ early 80s Judas Priest style, they consistently ║ │
│║ write engaging, enjoyable leads. Sadly, the ║ │
│║ songs they drop them into arenÆt all that good ║ │
│║ or consistent this time out. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ I still go back the first few Savior albums ║ │
│║ often and IÆll always be a sucker for their ║ │
│║ blend of old school metal and Euro-power, but ║ │
│║ Rise of the Hero feels like a rush job that ║ │
│║ doesnÆt represent what the band is capable of. ║ │
│║ The sound is there, the energy is there, but the ║ │
│║ songs just arenÆt. Worth a spin for diehard ║ │
│║ fans, but itÆs clearly not them at their best. ║ │
│║ Everyone else, go grab Unification or Dark ║ │
│║ Assault. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Tracklist ║ │
│╚═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════ │
│ │
│ 01 - Ascendence [01:29] │
│ 02 - Last Hero [05:00] │
│ 03 - Revenge Of The Bride [04:35] │
│ 04 - From Far Beyond Time [05:17] │
│ 05 - Burning Heart [04:39] │
│ 06 - Thunder From The Mountains [05:09] │
│ 07 - Iron Warrior [04:42] │
│ 08 - Dragon King [05:43] │
│ 09 - Dance With Somebody [03:55] │
│ 10 - Firestorm [04:58] │
│ 11 - The Demon [05:02] │
│ 12 - Fistraiser [04:41] │
│ 13 - I┤Ve Been To Hell 2014 (Re-Recorded Versio [04:05] │
│ 14 - Mind Over Matter 2014 (Re-Recorded Version [05:35] │
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│ Total Length : [64:50 minn │
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│ ╔═════════════════════╗ │
│ ║ Greetings To: ║ │
│ ╚═════════════════════╝ │
│ │
│ Too all people who contributes to make this │
│ archive of good music in a exceptional conditions │
│ │
│ │
│ │
│■ ■│
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