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│ METAL CLASSICS ARCHIVE │
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│ P R E S E N T S │
│ │
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│ + Zed Yago - Pilgrimage + │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Information ║ │
│╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Release Date.Mar-28-2014 Encoder......L3.97 -V2 --vbr-new ║ │
│║ Genre........Heavy Metal Graber.......EAC ║ │
│║ Year.........1989 Khz/Bitrate..44,1/ Br ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Ripper.......anthem Songs........11 ║ │
│║ Covers.......Yes Url... www.zed-yago.com ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Notes ║ │
│╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Artist : Zed Yago Rating : You Decide! ║ │
│║ Album : Pilgrimage Label : BMG ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╠════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Description : ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Pilgrimage is the second album from the German ║ │
│║ heavy power metal band Zed Yago, and in my ║ │
│║ humble opinion the very best work Jutta Weinhold ║ │
│║ has ever put her stamp on, with an ║ │
│║ unforgettable, epic vocal performance that ║ │
│║ absolutely destroys any other female fronted ║ │
│║ album of its type in the 80s. About the only ║ │
│║ thing that comes close here would be Leather ║ │
│║ Leone's years fronting Chastain, but the fact ║ │
│║ that this act never caught on while the similar, ║ │
│║ and less impressive Warlock were able to tour ║ │
│║ much of the world is shocking. Not that Doro's ║ │
│║ first success was anything to scoff at, but ║ │
│║ compare any of those records to Pilgrimage and ║ │
│║ shudder. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ In fact, this is one of the best German metal ║ │
│║ albums of its type, with a wholly consistent set ║ │
│║ of breathtaking tunes that carry conventional ║ │
│║ but catchy melodies, strong guitar rhythms, the ║ │
│║ precise if primitive drumming of Bubi. It's also ║ │
│║ the best example of 'pirate metal' I can think ║ │
│║ of outside of the gods Running Wild, as Jutta ║ │
│║ presents her concept of Zed Yago, the fictional ║ │
│║ daughter of the Flying Dutchman's captain, who ║ │
│║ roams a world embroiled in both adventure and ║ │
│║ folklore. Weinhold had always expressed a desire ║ │
│║ to translate famous literary works into the ║ │
│║ metal realm. It was hardly a novel idea by the ║ │
│║ late 80s (Iron Maiden had been doing it for over ║ │
│║ a decade at that point, among others), but ║ │
│║ evidence that Zed Yago were not simply some ║ │
│║ stupid band screaming METAL THIS METAL THAT from ║ │
│║ the rafters. These compositions were built to ║ │
│║ last, long after the band dwindled away, ║ │
│║ reformed as Velvet Viper, and never again ║ │
│║ reached this level of excellence. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Pilgrimage is the best Zed Yago album in EVERY ║ │
│║ category. It was released through RCA, so for ║ │
│║ once, the band had some actual money to put into ║ │
│║ its production. You'll notice the cover art here ║ │
│║ is actually quite stunning here, a painting of ║ │
│║ the ghostly lead character in their mythos ║ │
│║ sitting in some galley or tavern, in the ║ │
│║ presence of the band themselves (proof that ║ │
│║ Weinhold and Zed are separate entities, whereas ║ │
│║ some speculated she was trying to project ║ │
│║ herself into the character). Though its arguably ║ │
│║ the weakest point to this record, the production ║ │
│║ itself was still quite nice, with the typical ║ │
│║ 80s centrism on the vocal lines. Often on some ║ │
│║ stereos I feel the guitars get a little lost, ║ │
│║ which is a shame since they are so lovingly ║ │
│║ articulate at driving her voice through these ║ │
│║ forgotten tales, but on others I can hear them ║ │
│║ clearly. In all cases, the drums crash at an ║ │
│║ acceptable level and you can hear the bass tones ║ │
│║ as they thicken the storm, like the waves of an ║ │
│║ angry, stirred sea frothing at the hull of a ║ │
│║ wayward vessel. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ The lyrics are not even remotely retarded. For ║ │
│║ example, compare this to any of Manowar's 80s ║ │
│║ efforts, or Helloween, and you'll quickly see ║ │
│║ how important the literary influence was to ║ │
│║ Jutta and the band. Granted, English is her ║ │
│║ second language, and they may not flow as pure ║ │
│║ poetry, but I reiterate, this was not a band ║ │
│║ crafting disposable pop metal for arenas. This ║ │
│║ was made to last, and its timeless craftsmanship ║ │
│║ has served me well for over 20 years! So close ║ │
│║ your eyes, drift off to a realm of fantasy, ║ │
│║ lightning cracked skies, ports of danger and ║ │
│║ mystery, and some vivid, rousing, passionate ║ │
│║ metal of the purest strain! ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ The "Pilgrim's Choir" inaugurates the record, ║ │
│║ with some anthem-like German opera metal guitars ║ │
│║ that are joined by synthesized orchestration. ║ │
│║ You get the impression curtains are lifting upon ║ │
│║ some viking or sailor about to lurch into a ║ │
│║ searing soprano, and as the climax develops into ║ │
│║ an actual choral section, the guitar feedback ║ │
│║ rolls into the slowly but surely riffing title ║ │
│║ track. Graceful, careful melodies carry the day ║ │
│║ to the savage sounding chorus riff worthy of ║ │
│║ Rock'n'Rolf himself, while gang shouts erupt ║ │
│║ from the crows nest around :55. Few bands had ║ │
│║ this ability to play in such a relaxed pace, and ║ │
│║ yet still conquer you...the arabesque hymnal of ║ │
│║ the bridge that precludes the lead section is ║ │
│║ further evidence. "The Fear of Death" uses this ║ │
│║ slower pacing once more to superb levels of ║ │
│║ excellence, a tear jerking, descending melody ║ │
│║ that Jutta counteracts with a silken, seductive ║ │
│║ poise. I'm crying right now just listening to it ║ │
│║ for the millionth time! The things I endure to ║ │
│║ bring the truth to you folks. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ 'Call the foreign dimension finally to earth ║ │
│║ More than we know appears in a dream ║ │
│║ Disappears into space a taste of rebirth ║ │
│║ DonÆt, donÆt want to be defeated no... ║ │
│║ But we are, but we are in the second we are ║ │
│║ born...' ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Meaningful heavy metal in the 80s? Lies! Listen ║ │
│║ to the solo bridge, with the slowly churning, ║ │
│║ bad ass blues metal rhythm in the backdrop. Eat ║ │
│║ your hearts out, Schenker and Jabs! Jimmy and ║ │
│║ Gunnar were on fire! Following this emotional ║ │
│║ landscape, the band decides to pick up the pace ║ │
│║ through the light, digestible speed metal of ║ │
│║ "Pioneer of the Storm", with riffs just as tasty ║ │
│║ as anything you'll find on the first few ║ │
│║ Queensr che or Dokken LPs. Once more, the band ║ │
│║ crafts up a wonderful bridge of sweet leads ║ │
│║ across a great backing rhythm, and the lower ║ │
│║ guitar notes wailing off against the final verse ║ │
│║ is likewise immortal. This is followed by the ║ │
│║ timeless "Black Bone Song", which pays tribute ║ │
│║ to the damned crew of the Flying Dutchman from ║ │
│║ folklore. This is not my favorite track on the ║ │
│║ album, but it was probably the band's best known ║ │
│║ title at live performances, with some simple, ║ │
│║ fist in the air guitars that strut proudly ║ │
│║ across the bow while Jutta serves up a killer ║ │
│║ chorus over the slyly inserted, busier axe ║ │
│║ melodies. She also pulls out some lower, rasping ║ │
│║ vocals here which show her ability to get down ║ │
│║ and dirty, and the crew shouts and moans here ║ │
│║ are pretty cool. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Congratulations, we're still blessed to have ║ │
│║ over half the album left! "Rose of Martyrdom" is ║ │
│║ a majestic yet melancholic piece in which the ║ │
│║ sombering vocals really take the fore, melodic ║ │
│║ semi-speed metal licks resounding off in the ║ │
│║ distance. "The Man Who Stole the Holy Fire" has ║ │
│║ a nice little spin on a Zeppelin meets Def ║ │
│║ Leppard riff which totally stands out to memory, ║ │
│║ and "Achilles Heel" is a straight, perfect ║ │
│║ rocker which will easily appeal to a fan of ║ │
│║ Warlock, Saxon or other big riff 80s street ║ │
│║ metal, with an amazing, warlike gang chorus ║ │
│║ around 1:45. You have just had a sailor's clog ║ │
│║ stuffed right up your rectum, but the band lets ║ │
│║ you down easily with a soaring bridge. "The Pale ║ │
│║ Man" is a slowly escalating power ballad which ║ │
│║ thankfully engages due to the vocal performance. ║ │
│║ Had Joey Tempest written this for a Europe ║ │
│║ record, it probably would have been huge. Alas, ║ │
│║ Jutta and crew were destined to wallow in ║ │
│║ obscurity. The remaining songs return to the ║ │
│║ harder rocking format, though lyrically they ║ │
│║ depart into other subject matter: the excellent ║ │
│║ "Omega Child" sounding like it would have fit in ║ │
│║ on one of Kingdom Come's (highly underrated) ║ │
│║ early records, and "Fallen Angel" gallops at a ║ │
│║ similar pace as it tells the parable of some ║ │
│║ sinful divinity (I like to think it's about ║ │
│║ Lucifer directly). ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Despite all the cards it brought into play, Zed ║ │
│║ Yago's Pilgrimage was unfortunately lost in a ║ │
│║ bad shuffle of the deck. 1989 was a busy year, ║ │
│║ with many bands' careers steamrolling, and the ║ │
│║ wallets of so many fans already committed to the ║ │
│║ developing thrash metal titans of the US or the ║ │
│║ safer melodic power and late NWOBHM fare out of ║ │
│║ Europe. As such, Jutta Weinhold and her boys ║ │
│║ were not able to make the same impact as an ║ │
│║ Accept, Warlock, Helloween or Gamma Ray, and ║ │
│║ it's a crying shame, since the band would lose ║ │
│║ their big record deal and she would then disband ║ │
│║ them. The 'Zed Yago' concept does not end here, ║ │
│║ of course, because Jutta and Lars would return ║ │
│║ with some new gentlemen for the very similar ║ │
│║ band Velvet Viper, but none of that ║ │
│║ incarnation's output could match the grace and ║ │
│║ excellence of this sadly neglected slab of ║ │
│║ memorable mirth and melody. It's not exactly ║ │
│║ 'perfect', for there are one or two songs ║ │
│║ slightly less impressive than the remainder ║ │
│║ (those songs would be "Fallen Angel" and "Rose ║ │
│║ of Martyrdom"), but it's an enormous improvement ║ │
│║ over From Over Yonder, and the fact that I still ║ │
│║ listen to an album so often today that most ║ │
│║ would consider 'dated' or 'insignificant' only ║ │
│║ proves its enduring quality. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ If it is crushing German power/speed metal that ║ │
│║ you seek, then seek it on another island. The ║ │
│║ buried treasure on this will not appeal to you. ║ │
│║ That's not what Zed Yago were about. They were ║ │
│║ about dreamy, drifting compositions that ║ │
│║ resonate far into the ears and imagination, and ║ │
│║ Pilgrimage conjures such a strong, pale fire of ║ │
│║ inspiration that its embers still glow today, ║ │
│║ far brighter than the newer album Jimmy Durand ║ │
│║ and his wife would put out under the same band ║ │
│║ moniker in 2005 (Jimmy held on to the legal ║ │
│║ rights to the name). ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Tracklist ║ │
│╚═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════ │
│ │
│ 01 - Pilgrim┤s Choir [02:10] │
│ 02 - Pilgrimage [04:30] │
│ 03 - The Fear Of Death [05:43] │
│ 04 - Pioner Of The Storm [04:11] │
│ 05 - Black Bone Song [05:10] │
│ 06 - Rose Of The Martyrdom [04:38] │
│ 07 - The Man Who Stole The Holy Fire [04:46] │
│ 08 - Achilles Heel [03:58] │
│ 09 - The Pale Man [04:52] │
│ 10 - Omega Child [04:05] │
│ 11 - Falen Angel [03:58] │
│ │
│ Total Length : [48:01 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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└───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘