 Rage
- "Unity" SPV 2002 Here it is! Limited edition with one bonus track ("Mystery Trip") and a video track ("Down"). This is not a joke anymore. This trio pushed capabilities of such line-ups (called "trio") in power metal to the limits. That progressive elements are included is nothing new when you have this new "Rage" line-up in the band. One of the best world drummers Mike Terrana and multi instrumentalist Victor Smolski on guitar with his Russian perception of music are a real refreshment and reinforcement. Not just for the band, but for the whole scene which became very boring to me. At this moment every single shit band who calls themselves power metal gets a contract very easily. This is unfair to the people and makes them blind. But Peavy showed that we can still beat on this kind of music. For me "Unity" is for sure one of the highlights of this year releases. I'll explain to you why immediately. Production is more alive as it was on "Welcome To The Other Side". Charlie Bauerfiend helped the guys with production. A man who took under his flag bands as Blind Guardian or Helloween. Bingo! The band recorded "Unity" in famous "Twilight Hall Studios", owned by Blind Guardian, so you just can't miss a great opportunity to compose a masterpiece. And by the way, Hansi Kürsch did some back vocals as a guest. Space between rhythm line and guitars is carefully fulfilled, and the sound is wide, full and deep. You can't ask for more. Vocals are also due to its better production more expressed and powerful in comparison with previous "Welcome To The Other Side". Let's talk about music performance. Guitars. A specialty from a Russian mind. Very sharp riffing and great palm muted riffs. Unpredictable passages and lead breaks. A soft touch and grip in solos with great licking and using of tremolo. You can never be sure what's the bloody Russian up to. And as he gained a complete victory in his guitar performance, he also achieved a great harmony in music with his orchestral compositions that are perfectly fitted in "this new wave of Rage heavy metal". Russian Steve Vai, smooth and clean fingered powerful speed of light drive guitar performance. Just pay attention on solos! Well the only thing I'm not so happy about is the use of madrigals in chorus of "Dies Irae". Shame. Because the song is well composed, with crazy guitar solo included again. Songs that were composed by Peavy can still remind you a little bit of older Rage days. A nineties era between "Black In Mind" and "Ghosts". Those songs are most powerful and compact pieces. And beside that, "Insanity" which was perfectly composed by Peavy is in my opinion the beauty of all beauties on the new record. So as I mentioned, this release is again more compact, heavier style than the previous one. "Welcome To The Other Side" was more dreamy oriented staff, but yet more progressive."Unity" on the other hand is complete brainstorming from beginning to the end. The opener "All I Want" tells you everything. First riff is very progressive attitude, but when Peavy joins on vocals, the riff immediately changes into grooving prechorus, which is followed by dramatic and highly atmospheric chorus. And all compositions are basically structured in this way. What makes these songs so diverse are those great mostly progressive passages in them. They are all are very unpredictable. That keeps the constant high atmosphere very much alive. Passage drums and snare drum are tuned in Mike's drum kit. So this gives to the sound as whole, even wider dimensions. Punching is diverse, and I will say it again, very much unpredictable. Nor a single break is played in the same way as the previous one. So what demonstrates Mike here is a complete jam session. Wow! It shreads like hell. Victor and Mike are so well tuned in this so-called unpredictability that when the unexpected passage happens you just hardly follow, everything goes so fast, so fluid and sounds so fresh. What more can we ask for? All I'm talking about here is showed in song "Unity". An instrumental supremacy of a supreme release.
|
|
|||||