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│ METAL CLASSICS ARCHIVE │
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│ P R E S E N T S │
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│ + The Reign Of Terror - Conquer and Divide-(MICP-10332) + │
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│║ Release Information ║ │
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│║ ║ │
│║ Release Date.Feb-02-2018 Encoder......L3.98.4 -V0 --lowpas ║ │
│║ Genre........Metal Graber.......EAC ║ │
│║ Year.........2002 Khz/Bitrate..44,1/ Br ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Ripper.......anthem Songs........11 ║ │
│║ Covers.......Yes Url... n/a ║ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Notes ║ │
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│║ ║ │
│║ Artist : The Reign Of Terror Rating : You Decide! ║ │
│║ Album : Conquer and Divide-(MICP-10332)abel : Avalon ║ │
│║ ║ │
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│║ ║ │
│║ Description : ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Reign of terror is a heavy/power metal perhaps ║ │
│║ best known for guitar virtuoso Joe Stump and ║ │
│║ ex-Malmsteen vocalist Michael Vescera. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ On the previous album, Sacred Ground, the band ║ │
│║ already shifted from a bit darker and thrashier ║ │
│║ music to a more traditional heavy metal sound, ║ │
│║ and this album is a further development in that ║ │
│║ direction. It's a bit heavier than its ║ │
│║ predecessor, but the biggest difference for me ║ │
│║ is consistence. Sacred ground had a few mind ║ │
│║ blowing tracks (the title track, Dante's Danza, ║ │
│║ Hellbound, Last time...) but the rest was ║ │
│║ mediocre. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ This time there is much less variety quality- ║ │
│║ wise and you get a great album from the ║ │
│║ beginning to the end. Mike's voice is excellent ║ │
│║ for this kind of music - he can hit the high ║ │
│║ notes but keeps the energy, vibrato and a bit of ║ │
│║ rawness. Don't let the power metal label fool ║ │
│║ you - this is not Stratovarius. The keyboards ║ │
│║ are in the background and the guitar absolutely ║ │
│║ dominates. And that is the best part - Stump is ║ │
│║ awesome as hell, and although this record ║ │
│║ doesn't come close to his solo records where he ║ │
│║ truly shows his brilliance, there are still tons ║ │
│║ and tons of ass kicking riffs and solos. Besides ║ │
│║ that the music is simple and straightforward ║ │
│║ metal, not that different from the above-average ║ │
│║ heavy band, drums and bass do a good job of ║ │
│║ keeping rhythm and that's about it, but believe ║ │
│║ me, few guitarists shred like this and for that ║ │
│║ alone the album is worth a listen - perfect ║ │
│║ blend of technique, energy and musical ideas and ║ │
│║ melodies. (Just for the record - I'm sick and ║ │
│║ tired of reading how Stump is an Yngwie clone - ║ │
│║ Yngwie kicks ass, I love his music, he shaped ║ │
│║ the neoclassical genre but he hasn't advanced ║ │
│║ too much through his records. Today he's not ║ │
│║ even in the same league with Stump - both from ║ │
│║ the songwriting (although that is subjective, ║ │
│║ but it's more important to me) and technical ║ │
│║ point of view.) ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Anyway, back to the album, sorry for the ║ │
│║ digression: ║ │
│║ The high-points of the album to me are No ║ │
│║ forgiving - a fast track containing one of the ║ │
│║ best and craziest solos I've ever heard on a ║ │
│║ non-instrumental metal track; and Forsaken - mid ║ │
│║ tempo and melodic as hell. There's also an ║ │
│║ instrumental track: Seance. A ballad more in the ║ │
│║ vein of Stump's solo work - great but he's done ║ │
│║ better on his solo records. Maybe I could point ║ │
│║ out Sign of the cross, the title track and Bite ║ │
│║ the bullet as slightly better than the rest, but ║ │
│║ really the album is consistent with no track I ║ │
│║ want to skip when listening to it. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Summary - this is not a masterpiece but if you ║ │
│║ like heavy/power metal, you better try it. That ║ │
│║ especially goes if you like Rainbow or Yngwie - ║ │
│║ this is heavier and more intense, but creates a ║ │
│║ similar vibe. I think it stands out in the sea ║ │
│║ of modern heavy/power metal bands. ║ │
│║ ║ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Tracklist ║ │
│╚═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════ │
│ │
│ 01 - Conquer And Divide [06:28] │
│ 02 - No Forgiving [06:04] │
│ 03 - Mark Of The Devil [05:43] │
│ 04 - No Limits [05:24] │
│ 05 - Forsaken [07:40] │
│ 06 - Sacrifice [05:39] │
│ 07 - Sign Of The Cross [05:57] │
│ 08 - Seance [05:36] │
│ 09 - Bite The Bullet [05:03] │
│ 10 - The Meaning [07:07] │
│ 11 - Starstruck [04:03] │
│ │
│ Total Length : [64:44 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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│ │
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