Freternia - Warchants & Fairytales (2000)

Swedish band Freternia lasted just two albums, which is a bit of a pity, since this debut is really good, if not great, power metal in the typical vain, with vigorous playing (sometimes fast, othertimes steady) and choral vocals during most choruses with, as the title suggests, fantasy lyrics. 
There's not a heap to say here, and there aren't many songs that stand out. It's just good power metal for those who love the genre.

***1/2

Edenbridge - Sunrise In Eden (2000)

Another first - Edenbridge (whose name alone I love) is the first band I've heard from Austria (which, at the time of writing, is also at the top of my 'countries I want to visit which I haven't yet' list).  Led by guitarist/keyboardist/songwriter Lanvall, they're steeped in a symphonic and progressive sound that has a grace and dignity that almost transcends the label of 'metal' itself.  This is made all the more complete by vocalist Sabine Edelsbacher.  She's not as powerfully operatic as someone like Tarja Turunen or After Forever's Floor Jansen; rather, she has a  pure, pretty voice that is engaging throughout this debut.  The music isn't easy to get into at first, but there's plenty of good stuff here, like the extensive title track, and the beautiful, almost ABBA-esque ballad "Forever Shine On".  I've eventually found myself liking this record, despite the occasional over-indulgence; it is an impressive commencement to the band's career.

****

Nostradameus - Words Of Nostrademeus (2000)

By calling themselves Nostradameus, this Swedish band pretty much set themselves for a career of prophecy-flavoured material, and this debut certainly has that.  I assume it's about the man himself, but I'm no expert on him.  It's mainly run of the mill (and very fast) power metal, with little of note on the first half, but things do pick up on the second, with the reasonable "Master Of The Night", the better "Black Fate" and, most of call, the rousing conclusion, "One For All, All For One".

**1/2

Persuader - The Hunter (2000)

Swedish band Persuader are caked in speed metal, and aren't unlike early Blind Guardian, especially as vocalist Jens Carlsson sounds quite a bit like Hansi Kursch.  This debut isn't bad, with "As You Wish" and "Heart And Steel" jumping out at me, while the concluding "My Life For You" has a certain reasonance, but it didn't do a lot for me overall.

**1/2

Edguy - The Savage Poetry (1995/2000)

Edguy's fourth album is actually their first album. In 1995, they recorded SAVAGE POETRY as a demo, but it found no success. When the band eventually did, they recorded it again, arranging this and that, and here is another top power metal record.
The songs are consistent, and Tobias Sammet's voice annoys me less than it used to as well, and I have to say the way he hits that high note in "Frozen Candle" is pretty impressive, even if it is helped by studio trickery.  Other songs of note are "Keys To My Fate" and "Sacred Hell", but there's plenty more pleasure to be found here. I don't know how the original recording sounded, but this one is certainly first rate.

****

Highlord - When The Aurora Falls... (2000)

I gave Highlord's debut HEIR OF POWER a right royal roasting for a variety of reasons, and I went away thinking they could only improve from there. But I never expected the improvement would be so vast so quickly.
The negatives of When The Aurora Falls...' predecessor are all things of the past here. Main man Vascè's vocals are much better, the production is significantly improved (the guitars actually sound like guitars, while the keyboards compliment them beautifully) and, most of all, the material is outstanding.  It doesn't jump out in anthemic and fist-pumping fashion; rather, the songs are graceful and captivating, each one offering deft tunes and undeniable charm, the best including "Frozen Heaven", "We Are Gods" and "Tears Of Darkness".  Even the two ballads, "Again" and the concluding "You'll Never Be Lonely" are strong, but it isn't really fair to single out any song, as there really is no major weakness here.
The only critism I do have is the booklet's lyrics are printed on (admittedly pretty) photography of the band in some kind of forest, making them not always easy to read and follow.  But from what I have been able to make out, they too have a poetic loveliness about them.
I can't recall experiencing such a major leap of quality from one album to the next from a musical artist in any genre; Highlord have managed it here, and they've become one of my favourite power metal bands in a the space of fifty-five minutes.

****1/2

Sacred Steel - Bloodlust (2000)

Sacred Steel's third album certainly lives up to its title. Full of violence and decapitations and destruction and evil torture from some kind of Emperor and Tyrant King, these Germans go all-out in their apocalytpic glee - song titles like "The Oath Of Blood", "Blood On My Steel", "Sacred Warriors Of Steel", "Dark Forces Lead Me To The Brimstone Gate" and "Lust For Blood" speak for themselves.
But it must be said that the music is super powerful, and even singer Gerrit Mutz's vocals sound more normal than, well, normal, although he still sometimes gives the impression of Dracula with his pants too tight.
Ideally, this is not my favourite kind of power metal. When evil forces attack, I like to hear about good forces defeating them, or at least taking them on. Wimpy, I know. It's a reason while I'll never really make it into any 'true' heavy metal club (which, quite frankly, is absolutely fine by me). And, of course, I like more melody. But there's still something about the force of this music that does it for me, and so I have to give it a bit of begrudging admiration.

***

White Skull - Public Glory, Secret Agony (2000)

White Skull's TALES FROM THE NORTH blew me away when I first heard it (and the times after that), and so I was wandering how the follow-up would fare. And, inevitably, while cut from the same cloth, it's not quite as good, with material that's not as consistent, as well as the vocal parts seeming to be back a bit more in the mix than was the case with NORTH.  Of course, those who dislike Federica De Boni's rather strangled voice might not have a big problem with this, but the choral vocals which join her on some of the choruses would have brought more pleasure if they were clearer.
But this is still a fine effort, as the record dwells on the history of the Roman Empire, particularly the relationship between Caesar and Cleopatra. Such songs as "High Treason", "The Roman Empire", "Valley Of The Sun" and "Cleopathra" match whatever NORTH did, and it's just a pity they don't sound quite as good in production, and a few of the other tracks are just a bit weak.
After this, De Boni left, to be replaced by a male. That should be interesting.

***1/2

Majesty - Keep It True (2000)

"I turned on the radio, it shocked me, yes it did/I heard some dolls of media, interesting like a piece of shit/I turned it off and swore an oath, if I'll break if I shall die/I will fight for Metal the rest of my life."
Here's a band who's given their Manowar albums their fair amount of spins.  These German boys, led by self-proclaimed "Metal-Son" Tarek Maghary (singer, guitarist, writer), proclaim themselves, proclaim metal and also wave a few swords around in this debut of steady rock that is catchy at times, like with "Strong As Steel" and "Son Of Metal", but doesn't always work - the concluding "Last Revolution" is an example of this.
There's no doubt it's all genuine - Majesty are not posers. But at the same time, it's nothing that hasn't been done before, and it's not good enough to rise about the genre's history.

***

Brainstorm - Ambiguity (2000)

Brainstorm's third album is the first with vocalist Andy B. Franck, who also writes the lyrics (which reflect the record's title), and he sounds great. The material itself is somewhat more complex than their first two releases, with some extensive tracks that are reasonable, but don't really offer all that much. Ambiguity certainly has good moments, and it's done well enough, but the overall impression is of an album that takes too long to get where it's going, and it doesn't really arrive there anyway.

***

Silent Force - The Empire Of Future (2000)

One thing that caught my eye about Silent Force is their singer is former Royal Hunt vocalist DC Cooper, who is simply one of the greatest singers in rock. He doesn't let us down here with this debut, his wonderful voice pure and strong throughout.
The material certainly has a Royal Hunt flavour in sonic textures and song formation, and there are good moments with the likes of "Live For The Day" and "Broken Wings", although it's not anything consistently wonderful.

***

At Vance - Heart Of Steel (2000)

At Vance's second album is, for me, an improvement over their debut NO ESCAPE, being a more consistent collection of enjoyable tunes.  There's also another ABBA cover, this one "SOS", which is as passionate as the one before it.  Highlights include "Soldiers Of Time", "The Brave And The Strong" and "Why Do You Cry?"

***1/2

Labyrinth - Sons Of Thunder (2000)

Labyrinth's previous album, RETURN TO HEAVEN DENIED, is a very highly rated release by many, but it did not do much for me. And ditto for this follow-up.
I like the speed (and there's a lot of speed), the instrumental proficiency and even the story of King Louis XIV (The Sun King) as he goes after a lady called Kathryn. But the only two songs that really stand out for me are "Kathryn" (which, for some reason, reminded me of something a band like Styx might have done in the 70s) and "Save Me". There's just not much melodious interest to grab my attention. Maybe that's the 80s part of my mind that just refuses to budge from that decade.
Or maybe this really isn't all that good.

**1/2

Crystal Eyes - In Silence They March (2000)

Crystal Eyes' second album is certainly an improvement as far as the raw vocals of guitarist/main songwriter Mikael Dahl coming through the mix is concerned and, again, there are some good melodies here with the likes of the opening "Time Flight", "The Grim Reaper's Fate", "Knights Of Prey" and the semi-haunting closer "Winternight", but, as before, there's not enough high quality material to justify the record's length of around an hour, so it's not as satisfying as it could have been.
The topics take us through various battles and destructions as the walking dead conquer all who stand before them ("In Silence They March" - it's those chaps on the cover), as do the Vikings ("Sons Of Odin") and pirates ("Adrian Blackwood"), while witches and warlocks get burnt at the stake in "Witch Hunter" and Death himself faces his doom in "The Grim Reaper's Fate" - "Years of lies to collect and build your own paradise, where you thought you could be safe/But all your plans were crushed when God found out/Liar! Now you shall burn in the fire..."
There's something for everyone.
But the songwriting needs more consistency in quality, and a bit more variety would be nice too, or at least shorten and tighten things. The results might then be better.

***

Symphorce - Sinctuary (2000)

Symphorce's second album is another impressive release, although darker than TRUTH TO PROMISES, as evidenced by the title and songs like "Holy Sin". Vocals are good, and there are some catchy pieces, like the opening "Eye Of Horus", "Until The Last" and "Freedom".  There's not enough for me to say a lot about it - there's nothing particularly exceptional here.  But what is on offer is worthy and enjoyable.

***1/2

Metalium - State Of Triumph: Chapter Two (2000)

Metalium's second album continues their story of the hero Metalium and his battle against heathens and whatnot.  At its best, this is terrific stuff, with the exhilarating "Steel Avenger", "Stygian Flames" and "Eye Of The Storm" among the highlights. The slower moments don't work so well, and bring things down a bit. Also, it's hard not to laugh hyserically at the blue get-ups the photos of the band show us in the booklet. But, overall, these Germans know how to rock hard and fast.

***1/2

Iron Fire - Thunderstorm (2000)

Danish band Iron Fire dive right in on this debut with battles and steel and kings and victories and... you know the drill. Also, there's lots of speed and catchy refrains, with choral vocals making up for the rather iffy voice of main man/songwriter Martin Steene.  He's not bad. He's just... not very good, and that shows up straight away on the opening "The Final Crusade", which is an otherwise good song. And there are plenty of good songs here, also of note being "Metal Victory", the... er, thundering "Thunderstorm", "Behind The Mirror" and "Until The End". The third track from the end, "Angel Of Light", might send the listener for a left turn, as it starts with a harmonica and becomes a ballad which rather reminded me of Aerosmith in one of their slower moments, only better. It's really quite an affecting piece.
Thunderstorm is not a pure gem - there are too many rough edges. But there's still much to like, and is pretty essential for power metal fans.

***1/2

Nightwish - Wishmaster (2000)

Nightwish's third album is a bit more straightforward than the previous OCEANBORN, and maybe that's why I prefer it. Or maybe it's because it has the song "Wishmaster". As I said in my review of ANGELS FALL FIRST, "Wishmaster" was one of the songs that got me into power metal in the first place, and it remains a truly wonderful, mighty piece. Almost as good is the similar "The Kinslayer", although the pleasure is a bit offset by the topic being that of the Columbine shooting (and, it must be said, the lyrics are quite dark in other places as well, like with "Dead Boy's Poem").
But the whole record is an enjoyable experience, with beautiful production and Tarja's voice the icing on the cake.  Other highlights include "Two For Tragedy", "Deep Silent Complete" and the concluding, complex "FantasMic", and it's the whole epic presentation that just wins me over.
I love epic.
I will go back to OCEANBORN at some stage, and I think I will get to like it more as time goes on. This one might continue to grow on me as well, and that's something I'm realising about Nightwish - I'm finding them a bit hard to put my finger on. I like them. But how much?
Mmm... quite a bit so far. :-)

****

Heavenly - Coming From The Sky (2000)

Surprisingly, I think Heavenly is the first French band I've ever listened to. And what a start it is. This is an expert and deft combination of power and progressive metal. After the standard musical prologue (which, even by the year 2000, had become a cliche in the genre), there's the pretty straight forward, but still winning "Carry Your Heart", before the songs get longer and more complex, and we have what is pretty much technical, progressive musical passages encasing engagingly melodious songs, with highlights including "Time Machine", "Our Only Chance" and "My Turn Will Come". The vocals are strong too, with some lovely arrangements. It might be a bit rough around the edges but, overall, Coming From The Sky is an impressive commencement to these French metalheads.

****

Thy Majestie - The Lasting Power (2000)

When I first read about Italian band Thy Majestie, their supposed similarities with Rhapsody ensnared my interest straight away. And this album is one of the few of which I was not able to find on eBay, instead having to search for it on Amazon (which was a pain - I find eBay much easier to use).
This record has all the ingredients - historical battles merging into one story, ominous narration, sound effects and choirs. Only one main ingredient is missing.
Good songs.
Actually, I should go further than that. Yes, the songs are ordinary, with hardly anything in the way of inspiring melodies or interesting construction. But the whole arrangement is slack, almost lazy; it's like viewing a dull fantasy blockbuster, where the action prances around in front of  the viewer, but the viewer sits in his seat feeling quite unamazed and wondering if the whole thing is actually going to come together and get moving into something exhilerating and enjoyable.
There is potential here, certainly, and "Sword Of Justice" is reasonable. But, considering what I was hoping for, The Lasting Power is very disappointing.

**

Axxis - Back To The Kingdom (2000)

Axxis' sixth studio album, and their first in three years, is not one of their better efforts, being a collection of rather bland, almost AOR-styled hard rock. In the middle is where it works best, with the highlight, "White Lights", and the self-defending "Why Not ?!", while the concluding track is a cover of Steam's rousing "Na, Na, Hey, Hey, Kiss Him Goodbye", which I've also heard sung by Bananarama and accapella group The Nylons (I know these two, especially the latter, better than I do the original), and Axxis do it justice.
But Back To The Kingdom is just not a terribly inspiring listen overall, and Bernhard Weiß's nasally vocals still grate on me.

**1/2

Secret Sphere - Mistress Of The Shadowlight (2000)

Italian sextet Secret Sphere play fast power metal with a strong emphasis on progressive elements, which makes it a bit hard to get into initially, but there's a lot to like here. There is a strong symphonic element, thanks to Antonio Agate's deft keyboard and piano work, while Roberto Messina's vocals are first rate. The highlight is "Recall Of The Valkyrie", but there is a lot more to discover over multiple listens on this impressive debut.

***1/2

Kamelot - The Fourth Legacy (2000)

I haven't been overly exciteted by Kamelot thus far, but this album, their fourth, is certainly their best to date.  The songwriting is consistent, although the second half isn't quite as good as the first, with highlights including "The Fourth Legacy", "Silent Goddess" and, most of all, "Nights Of Arabia", and Roy Khan's vocals are excellent throughout.  American power metal bands still don't tend to appeal to me in general, but Kamelot show a lot of promise here.

***1/2

Stratovarius - Infinite (2000)

Alright, it's time for the year 2000 which, despite what a lot of people thought at the time, was the end of the 20th century and NOT the start of the 21st.
I've always thought I should like Stratovarius more than I do, and I wondered if I'd really take to this album of theirs, but now I do believe it is one of their best. It starts with the steady "Hunting High And Low" and fast "Millenium" (everyone was Millenium-mad back then), two solid, without being remarkable, songs, before going into progressive territory with "Mother Gaia", which doesn't really work, or maybe it does? Not sure about that one. But pretty much everything else does work afterwards, with "Infinity" being a much more successful attempt at progressive rock, while the high-flying "Freedom" is another highlight, and "Glory To The World" is good too. The lyrics are full of their rather characteristic think-positively-and-make-the-world-a-better-place topics (lyrically, they're a bit like a power metal Yes), and the music is played with passion, Jorg Michael's drums in particular absolutely ferocious, especially on "Glory To The World."
Maybe I will eventually learn to love Stratovarius, but for now, I'll continue to like, admire and enjoy them.

****