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│ METAL CLASSICS ARCHIVE │
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│ P R E S E N T S │
│ │
│ │
│ + Twisted Tower Dire - Crest Of The Martyrs + │
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│ │
│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Information ║ │
│╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Release Date.Mar-22-2009 Encoder......LAME 3.90 Modified ║ │
│║ Genre........Heavy Metal Graber.......EAC ║ │
│║ Year.........2003 Khz/Bitrate..44,1/ Br ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Ripper.......anthem Songs........12 ║ │
│║ Covers.......Yes Url... www.twistedtowerdire.com ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Notes ║ │
│╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Artist : Twisted Tower Dire Rating : You Decide! ║ │
│║ Album : Crest Of The Martyrs Label : Remedy Records ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╠════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Description : ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Knowing what a competent and consistent band ║ │
│║ Twisted Tower Dire is (IÆve heard all their ║ │
│║ previous albums) I naturally expected their 2003 ║ │
│║ release, Crest of Martyrs, to be at least ║ │
│║ decent, but nothing could prepare me for the ║ │
│║ monumental album I was about to experience. ItÆs ║ │
│║ a pleasant thing, to believe youÆve heard ║ │
│║ everything metal has to offer, only to be proven ║ │
│║ wrong again and again. WeÆre basically dealing ║ │
│║ with modern US power metal here. The mood and ║ │
│║ atmosphere is of a serious nature (as is common ║ │
│║ in the great land across the sea), but not Tad ║ │
│║ Morose, Manticora or Evergrey-serious. More like ║ │
│║ Iron Savior and Firewind. The most obvious ║ │
│║ comparison is Iron Savior due to the fact that ║ │
│║ Piet Sielck has produced, and influenced, both ║ │
│║ bands. To be honest though, I could make a dozen ║ │
│║ other comparisons, and each of them would be ║ │
│║ just as correct. Just think of it as the US ║ │
│║ power metal counterpart (quality-wise) of Gamma ║ │
│║ Rays excellent Somewhere out in Space. Or ║ │
│║ (consistently-wise) of HollowÆs amazing ║ │
│║ Architect of the Mind. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Much like Somewhere out in Space, Crest of the ║ │
│║ Martyrs is very accessible and easy to like. I ║ │
│║ got instantly hooked and singled out songs like ║ │
│║ æAt NightÆ, æAxes & HonorÆ, æFight to be FreeÆ, ║ │
│║ æBy My Hand and æThe Forgotten Pools' as ║ │
│║ favorites but the more I listened, the more I ║ │
│║ realized that all eleven songs are great. ║ │
│║ ThereÆs nothing fancy going on in the ║ │
│║ songwriting department as the band doesn't waste ║ │
│║ any time in getting to the point. The songs are ║ │
│║ straightforward and have a great flow to them ║ │
│║ using the classic verse-bridge-refrain ║ │
│║ structure, augmented by the occasional well ║ │
│║ played and fitting solo. The vocals are ║ │
│║ well-rounded, melodic, occasionally soaring and ║ │
│║ intense, and always catchy. The guitars are ║ │
│║ heavy and the riffs varied. Bland description ║ │
│║ maybe, but all of the instruments stand out, ║ │
│║ which makes it hard for me to point out ║ │
│║ highlights. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ There are plenty of great moments to be found, ║ │
│║ which is important for an album's staying power. ║ │
│║ Examples: the fun base-guitar intro in æSome ║ │
│║ Other PlaceÆ, the steady pace and majestic ║ │
│║ refrain in æAxes & HonorÆ, the beefy ║ │
│║ guitar-chops in æInfinitumÆ, the addictive ║ │
│║ Helstar-ish gallop in 'Guardian Bloodline', the ║ │
│║ neck-breaking guitar-crunches and massive ║ │
│║ backing vocals in æBy My HandÆ and the ║ │
│║ atmospheric guitar intros in æThe Forgotten ║ │
│║ PoolsÆ and æThe Witches EyesÆ, etc. the list ║ │
│║ goes on. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ IÆve been listening to metal for a long time ║ │
│║ now, thousands of albums all in all, yet I canÆt ║ │
│║ point at an album with fewer weaknesses than ║ │
│║ this one. It doesnÆt have the best collection of ║ │
│║ songs IÆve ever heard, but itÆs so bloody ║ │
│║ well-made on all levels and consistent, itÆs ║ │
│║ hard to ever get bored. ItÆs like a vortex of ║ │
│║ perfectly streamlined songwriting and ║ │
│║ musicianship. True, it doesnÆt have the ║ │
│║ originality of a Tad Morose album or the ║ │
│║ (instrumental) creativity of Lost HorizonÆs ║ │
│║ debut but itÆs insanely catchy and fun to listen ║ │
│║ to and the truth is, music doesnÆt have to be ║ │
│║ unique or creative to be great, just consistent ║ │
│║ and varied, and Crest of the Martyrs is ║ │
│║ unbeatable in that regard. Though IÆve made no ║ │
│║ hints otherwise, Crest of Martyrs is not generic ║ │
│║ in the least û the band avoids that word with ║ │
│║ grace and consequently, Crest of the Martyrs ║ │
│║ stands in stark contrast to the growing pile of ║ │
│║ crap extruded by some of todayÆs leading power ║ │
│║ metal bands. ItÆs the best US power metal album ║ │
│║ since Iced EarthÆs Burnt Offerings and its ║ │
│║ statement is obvious: This is what heavy fucking ║ │
│║ metal is supposed to sound like! ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Line up: ║ │
│║ Tony Taylor - vocals ║ │
│║ Dave Boyd - guitar ║ │
│║ Scott Waldrop - guitar ║ │
│║ Jim Hunter -bass ║ │
│║ Marc Stauffer -drums ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ The limited edition bonus track contains the ║ │
│║ bonus track: ║ │
│║ 11. The Witch's Eyes 2003 (4:27) ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ The Japanese version contains that track plus ║ │
│║ another bonus track: ║ │
│║ 12. Wings of Darkness (Tarot cover) ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Tracklist ║ │
│╚═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════ │
│ │
│ 01 - At Night [04:02] │
│ 02 - Some Other Time, Some Other Place [03:14] │
│ 03 - Axes & Honor [05:57] │
│ 04 - To Be A Champion [04:07] │
│ 05 - Infinitum [04:06] │
│ 06 - Fight To Be Free [04:08] │
│ 07 - Transfixed [02:57] │
│ 08 - By My Hand [04:16] │
│ 09 - Guardian Bloodline [03:32] │
│ 10 - The Reflecting Pool [07:33] │
│ 11 - The Witch┤s Eyes 2003 (Bonus Track) [04:29] │
│ 12 - Wings Of Darkness (Bonus Track) [03:28] │
│ │
│ Total Length : [51:49 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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