Falconer - Grime vs Grandeur (2005)

Falconer's fourth album, with guitarist Jimmy Hedlund and bassist Magnus Linhardt replacing the booted Anders and Peder Johansson, is virtually bereft of the folk touches that gave them such a notable sound - only towards the end, with the morbid tale of Jack the Ripper ("Jack The Knife") and "Child Of The Wild" does it come through just a touch. Instead is a pretty standard heavy metal style, and vocalist Kristoffer Göbel, while not bad, still can't match Mathias Blad. He even sounds like Bon Scott at one point!
Having said all that, there's still much to like on Grime vs Grandeur, like the anthemic opener "Emotional Skies" and "Humanity Overdose", and the overall result is a pleasing listen - it's not excessively worse than what they have done before. It's just not the same.
However, things were to change, as Göbel got his marching orders, and Blad returned for the highly acclaimed NORTHWIND.

***1/2

Rebellion - Sagas Of Iceland: The History Of The Vikings, Volume 1 (2005)

After tackling MacBeth, and then going for a lamentable biker image with BORN A REBEL, Rebellion started a trilogy of Viking albums with this impressive release.  Vikings tend to be a favourite topic of black metal (and folk as well), which has led to the subgenre of viking metal, but hey, who can't tackle the Norse if they want to?
While the record goes for over an hour, no song outstays its welcome here, and such pieces as "Ragnhild's Dream", "Eric The Red" and "Blood Rains (The Saga of King Olaf Trygvason)" are first rate. Even if some of the other songs require more commitment to take hold, there's something about the whole enterprise that just works. There are a few moments of spoken narration, but overall, considering the subject matter and presentation, it's pretty much straight metal, without grandiose choirs or orchestras. While this might disappoint me in a way, bands are quite capable of using such things, and bringing out dross. It's better if an act sticks to what it can do best, and Rebellion certainly succeeds here.

****

Axenstar - The Inquisition (2005)

Axenstar's third album again has the sound that they have made their own, primarily that of Magnus Winterwild's vocals being overdubbed to create a pleasing, harmonic effect in the songs, and yet they've managed to not repeat themselves; there's an extra maturity to the songwriting here, meaning they have managed to be successful in balancing familiarity with progress.
Whether the record is about the Spanish Inquisition or not I can't be sure, although "The Burning" might refer to witch burnings, but such songs as "The Fallen One", "Inside Your Mind" and "The Sands Of Time" are worthy pieces of power metal, helping make the album enjoyable.

****

Brainstorm - Liquid Monster (2005)

I like Brainstorm, and have recently been comparing them with fellow Germans Paragon, who play a similar style (i.e. not fantasy and flying choruses, but somewhat darker, and with roaring, sometimes chanting choruses), but these lads have been doing consistent heavy metal right from the start, and this sixth album is probably their best to date. 
 They're not doing anything exceptionally new, but the songs are consistently catchy, highlights including "Inside The Monster", "All Those Words" and "Despair To Drown" (even if vocalist Andy Franck, who's great throughout, slips into Mustaine-mode there), while "Heavenly" is that rare power metal ballad that works!
The music is mostly mid-tempo, with moments of speed, and the lyrics are personal introspection. Oh, and the cover is great.  My imagination plays with those monsters (or is it one monster in three guises) terrifying an unsuspecting community and turning them to blue liquid with a touch. Or something along those lines.
While I might go ga ga over the likes of Freedom Call and Rhapsody, Brainstorm provide a good alternative to the power metal genre, and they keep bringing out worthy material.

****

Crystal Eyes - Confessions Of The Maker (2005)

Crystal Eyes' fouth album is also their first not to have guitarist/writer Mikael Dahl on vocals. He's still here, but Lost Horizon singer Daniel Heiman has come in to take on voice duties.  He benefits from not being drowned in the mix as much as Dahl was in the band's early releases, and Confessions Of The Maker, which is also less speedy than usual, is an improvement over their previous, rather disappointing VENGEANCE DESCENDING, even if it doesn't reach great heights either. 
Crystal Eyes' rather abrasive guitar sound has always been a notable aspect of their work, and so it is here, and such songs as "The Charioteer" and "The Burning Vision" are highlights, but there are also weak moments, like "The Terror" and "Terminal Voyage."
The album finishes with the ballad "Silent Angel", heralding a rather dignified resonance that's new for the band, and maybe it will lead them on to better things, but here, Crystal Eyes continue to show that they can do some good stuff, but continue to have drawbacks.

***

At Vance - Chained (2005)

At Vance's sixth album, and their first after a two year break (a long time by their standards) has them down to a trio, and the quality of music down as well.
While never reaching breathtaking heights, these Germans could always be counted on to provide some good, solid power metal, but this is a very disappointing collection of largely forgettable music. The highlight is the rather mellow "Heaven", which shows that even faster pieces like the concluding "Run For Your Life" can't cut the mustard much anymore. There are a couple of classical interludes from Bach (briefly), and Vivaldi's "Four Seasons", but if there was ever a record where they could have gone for one of their pop covers, this should have been it.
Chained is modest and quite ordinary, by far the worst in At Vance's catalogue to this point.

**

Metalium - Demons Of Insanity: Chapter Five (2005)

Metalium's fifth album yet again starts with a ripping piece (after the spoken introduction), "Power Of Time", before settling down to pretty standard heavy metal. The Shouting Choir (as it's credited here) wins me over every time, making such songs as "Destiny" and the roaring concluding "One By One" worthwhile, and the whole record is loud, pounding and furious, but fourteen songs are too many, and it's really not anything particularly exceptional overall.
If Metalium could take the first songs of their albums, and put them together as one record, maybe then we'd have a classic.

***