Freedom Call - The Circle Of Life (2005)

Three albums, three classics. Like I said recently with Rhapsody, could they keep it up?
Not quite, but close.
Freedom Call's fourth album is certainly more of what one has come to accept from them, with multi-layered vocals crying out melodious choruses, fists pumping and guitars chugging in all its power metal glory.
Any problem is really with the first half - the songs there are shorter than the ones on the second half, which is hardly a crime in itself, but it gives the impression that they're a bit rushed. Of course, that first half does contain "Carry On", happy metal at its most anthemic and gleeful, and "Starlight" is good too. But the second half seems to have had more effort put into it, with such songs as "High Enough" and, in particular, "Starchild", glowing. The lyrics are the expected messages of positivity - the opening "Mother Earth" is an ode to... well, the Earth, while "Starchild" is actually a kind of tribute to Jesus Christ ("Bring your heart and soul, come back to earth, the world has gone insane/2005 years ago, your deeds seemed to be in vain").
No, The Circle Of Life can't quite match Freedom Call's first three, but it's hard to say it's disappointing for fans. There's still so much to like, and it's still very much in the style of what these Germans do best. Power metal of the most uplifting and enjoyable kind.

****1/2