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│ METAL CLASSICS ARCHIVE │
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│ P R E S E N T S │
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│ + Demons & Wizards - III + │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Information ║ │
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│║ ║ │
│║ Rls Date..2020-03-01 Encoder......LAME 3.100 ║ │
│║ Genre.....Metal Graber.......EAC ║ │
│║ Year......2020 Khz/Bitrate..44.1 / VBR kbps ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Ripper....Anthem Songs........11 ║ │
│║ Source....CD Covers.......Yes ║ │
│║ Url.. ║ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Notes ║ │
│╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Artist : Demons & Wizards ║ │
│║ Album : III ║ │
│║ Label : Century Media ║ │
│║ Cat.No : 19439714752 ║ │
│╠════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Description : ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Though often referred to affectionately as ôIced Guardianö ║ │
│║ by their fans, no doubt in acknowledgement to the iconic ║ │
│║ bands from which its two masterminds hail, Demons & Wizards ║ │
│║ is a project that has proven a force unto itself. Drawing ║ │
│║ upon the more primordial thrash and speed metal elements of ║ │
│║ Blind Guardian and Iced Earth, all the while still ║ │
│║ exhibiting a melodic grandeur and propensity for ║ │
│║ atmospheric sorrow, this fold of twin titans would unleash ║ │
│║ a respectable pair of studio albums spanning the late 90s ║ │
│║ up until 2005 that bridged the gap between the similar yet ║ │
│║ highly distinct bands. However, the past 15 years has seen ║ │
│║ this project all but fall by the wayside as the intense ║ │
│║ touring and studio obligations of guitarist Jon Schaffer ║ │
│║ and front man Hansi KurschÆs principle projects have taken ║ │
│║ precedence. Then again, 2020 is already proving to be a ║ │
│║ year of surprises, and those longing for a worthy successor ║ │
│║ to Touched By The Crimson King would do well to take ║ │
│║ notice. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Naturally the recent advent of a successful American tour ║ │
│║ that culminated in an electrifying performance at PowerProg ║ │
│║ USA would presuppose a new studio album, but the simply ║ │
│║ dubbed III goes well beyond filling the closing slot of a ║ │
│║ musical trilogy. This is an album that does more than ║ │
│║ simply revisit the swift gallops and triumphant choirs of ║ │
│║ yesteryear; it expands upon an already epic template and ║ │
│║ erects a mighty Gothic cathedral of sound that almost makes ║ │
│║ the preceding albums appear Romanesque by comparison. Much ║ │
│║ of this owes to a more eclectic stylistic foundation that ║ │
│║ runs parallel to the stylistic developments that have ║ │
│║ occurred in SchafferÆs and KurschÆs musical endeavors since ║ │
│║ the mid-2000s, incorporating a greater level of symphonic ║ │
│║ bombast and a more expansive array of folksy acoustic ║ │
│║ elements, alongside a few moments of old school hard rock. ║ │
│║ Then again, one would be remiss not to note the fancier ║ │
│║ display of guitar showmanship, owing to the input of Iced ║ │
│║ Earth shredder Jake Dreyer and longtime associate of ║ │
│║ Schaffer and engineering extraordinaire Jim Morris. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ The heightened level of ambition on display couldnÆt be ║ │
│║ more obvious, as from this albumÆs very inception the scale ║ │
│║ of things blurs the lines between Blind GuardianÆs recent ║ │
│║ output and the more drawn out moments of Manowar. The aptly ║ │
│║ named opener ôDiabolicö could be best described as a more ║ │
│║ melancholy and gradualist sequel to debut album opener ║ │
│║ ôHeaven Deniesö, drawing heavily upon a dark atmospheric ║ │
│║ aesthetic with an array of clean and acoustic guitar ║ │
│║ elements and an eerie keyboard and vocal backdrop, then ║ │
│║ gradually developing into a swift, speed thrashing melee. ║ │
│║ Clocking in at just over 8 minutes in length, it also ║ │
│║ introduces itself as the longest anthem out of the Demons & ║ │
│║ Wizards repertoire yet, though only the third longest on ║ │
│║ this album. ItÆs even longer cousins ôTimeless Spiritö and ║ │
│║ ôChildren Of Cainö go in a bit more of a dreary, folksy ║ │
│║ power ballad direction a bit more in line with ôFiddler On ║ │
│║ The Greenö, layering on the acoustic guitar magic as only ║ │
│║ Schaffer can deliver and even finds him dabbling with the ║ │
│║ mandolin a bit on the latter. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ While the trio of long-winded forays into Iron Maiden-like ║ │
│║ epic exploits could be described as the crowning musical ║ │
│║ achievements of this album, they are naturally not alone. ║ │
│║ Driving riff machines in more of an easy to digest package ║ │
│║ such as ôWolves In Winterö and ôDark Side Of Her Majestyö ║ │
│║ showcase the duality of KurschÆs massive choir of voices ║ │
│║ (alongside an array of backup vocalists) and SchafferÆs ║ │
│║ precision thrash riffing quite effectively, while the ║ │
│║ slightly longer and German speed metal-infused crusher ║ │
│║ ôSplitö pounds the pavement like a ton of anvils, rivaling ║ │
│║ the most intense offerings heard on either of the two ║ │
│║ previous albums. On the less expected side of the equation ║ │
│║ is a mid-paced, rock-oriented anthem in ôInvincibleö that ║ │
│║ occasionally reminds of 70s Alice Cooper, albeit if said ║ │
│║ iconÆs sound was painted over with a massive layer of ║ │
│║ voices comparable to Queen and loaded with shred-happy ║ │
│║ solos. But the biggest surprise is definitely the retro-70s ║ │
│║ leaning groove machine ôMidas Diseaseö, an admitted tribute ║ │
│║ to the late Malcolm Young that perfectly melds old school ║ │
│║ AC/DC with the signature Kursch and Schaffer sound. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Call it an unpopular opinion, but this album represents the ║ │
│║ best that has come out of either the Blind Guardian or Iced ║ │
│║ Earth camp in several years, and just manages to edge out ║ │
│║ Touched By The Crimson King to be this bandÆs best offering ║ │
│║ to date. About the only real flaw that dogs these songs to ║ │
│║ any extent is that Schaffer and the production crew played ║ │
│║ it a bit safe in the mixing department and came out with a ║ │
│║ final product that sounds a bit too closely aligned with ║ │
│║ early 2000s recording practices. Nevertheless, every moving ║ │
│║ part within this cohesive whole sounds like it has been ║ │
│║ given a much needed adrenaline shot, with Hansi in ║ │
│║ particular providing a youthful vocal assault thatÆs about ║ │
│║ on par with what he brought to Nightfall On Middle Earth. ║ │
│║ It should come as no surprise given the display of raw ║ │
│║ energy and power that typified the tour that preceded this ║ │
│║ album and closed out the 2010s, and yours truly remains ║ │
│║ hopeful that another string of American appearances ║ │
│║ featuring select songs from this LP are soon to come. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Originally written for Sonic Perspectives ║ │
│║ (www.sonicperspectives.com) ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Tracklist ║ │
│╚═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════ │
│ │
│ 1. Diabolic 8:06 │
│ 2. Invincible 4:38 │
│ 3. Wolves In Winter 4:22 │
│ 4. Final Warning 3:50 │
│ 5. Timeless Spirit 9:21 │
│ 6. Dark Side Of Her Majesty 4:42 │
│ 7. Midas Disease 4:40 │
│ 8. New Dawn 4:26 │
│ 9. Universal Truth 5:09 │
│ 10. Split 6:06 │
│ 11. Children Of Cain 10:07 │
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│ Total Length : 01:05:27 │
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│ ║ Greetings To: ║ │
│ ╚═════════════════════╝ │
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│ Too all people who contributes to make this │
│ archive of good music in a exceptional conditions │
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