Freedom Call - Eternity (2002)

In all the music listening and rating I have done over the years, I think I'm right in saying on only one occasion have I rated all the first three albums of a band five stars. No, it's not my initial eighties passion, Duran Duran. No, it's not my more recent passion, Rhapsody. I don't think it's even the Beatles +, although they come close. No, rather bizarrely, it's the Ramones.  I say 'bizarre' because it could not be said I'm much of a punk fan. I suppose I just had the opinion that what those boys were doing, they were doing perfectly.
So now comes the next band to make that list - Freedom Call.  For the third time, these Germans have grabbed me and spirited me away with their wonderfully melodious brand of power metal.
There can be a danger of doing the same thing over and over, that you will start sounding a bit tired.  On the other hand, if you try to be too different, you could stuff up and disappoint a lot of fans in the process.
Eternity differs from Freeom Call's first two albums (I think I'm right in saying) in that it's not as consistently fast, and there's also a bit more prominance of keyboards, which open a few of the songs. But what the band just cannot change is their knack of uplifting, anthemic choruses that just never let up.  Even the concluding ballad "Turn Back Time", while not their best song, is fine, and how many  metal ballads can you say that about?  Earlier on, such songs as the opening "Metal Invasion", "Warriors" and "Flame In The Night" are so uplifting that it's hard to work out how to get back down from the heights they lift the listener.
Yep, it's happy metal. Yes, it'll make some "real" metal fans sick.
But for power metal lovers, you just can't say your collection is complete without Freedom Call's catalogue.
So go and complete it!
Now!

*****

+ Disclaimer - I'm not saying Freedom Call is a better band than The Beatles. I'm not saying anyone is better than The Beatles.  The Fab Four will always remain legends. I'm just saying individual ratings can vary a surprising amount throughout the years. At least, mine can.