Year : 2013
Style : Heavy Metal , Power Metal
Country : United States
Audio : 320 kbps + all scans
Size : 115 mb
Bio:
Traditional/Power Metal in the vein of Judas Priest, Iron Maiden & best in genre.ASKA; What more can we possibly say regarding this perennial favorite "underground" band that hasn't been touted already from rooftops across the electrified globe?For the uninitiated: ASKA is born during the nascent alternative/grunge movement of the early 90's and eschews the popular fad in favor of playing metal music…their way. From the first release to their fifth, the band embarks on a variety of world tours that would be the envy of better established acts and nets them notoriety,credibility,independent record company contracts, financial gain, and 40 countries notched on their belts to date and counting. Impossibly the band's songs are added to HARD RADIO playlists - without benefit of label support- and the intrepid muses follow blow-for-blow with what can only be described as an unheralded classic of true-metal majesty; "Avenger". Critics and fans of the genre raise their fists in the air and hail. With the release of their "Absolute Power" album, the band proves that what they'd put forth on "Avenger" was no fluke and take things a step further. In fact, "Absolute Power" is so well received within the metal community that legendary metal bands, Omen, Banshee and Cloven Hoof offer singer/guitarist George Call a position as their lead vocalist. Metal Gods and fans, both past and present, find worthy brothers-in-arms in ASKA. Their ways have not been forgotten but are indeed carried on with pride and finesse by this Dallas based construct of metal passion and fury. At this writing, ASKA readies their forthcoming sixth album, "Fire Eater", for release in 2013. Hail them without question as they fight their way to the great hall of champions and take their rightful place among the new defenders of the faith.
Album:
Having already ascertained that Pure Steel's recent rerelease of Aska's 1997 effort should be avoided by fans of traditional US Heavy/Power Metal how then does their new LP stack up? In terms of sticking rigidly to that scope it fails as this crosses a pretty broad spectrum of Heavy Metal styles. However for the most part all the different shades they draw on are good and they manage to make a myriad album with a strong and diverse batch of songs.“Everyone Dies” proves this point as the album's opener with a direct and biting vibe somewhere in between Judas Priest's Painkiller and recent Accept whilst “Dead Again” is a masterclass in incorporating the most commercial of 80's chart-topping Metal into a modern sound without losing any balls and “Valhalla” delivers both that mythological lyrical bent to justify the cover art and that long-desired USPM kick. It is followed up by the much speedier “Son Of A God” that switches to a more European take on Power Metal, yet remarkably actually keeping a strong semblance of “power” actually there.This style-hopping may seem unfocused and scatterbrain, but the powerful bombastic production and George Call's excellent and varied voice are the golden threads that hold it together, even through the mandatory sappy love balled “Angela.” The big guns of the 80's are drawn again for “Harlot Of Eden” where rapid-fire USPM riffs meet touches of Dokken and even Def Leppard in their Pyromania/Hysteria era utterly seemlessly. Despite the leanings into 80's mass appeal territories the song also is compositionally complex, a theme carried on by “Red Cell” which becomes the album's absolute centrepiece. The synths may get a bit too close to Dragonforce for comfort in the solo sections, but otherwise it's epic structure, clever drum fills and Jag Panzer meets Somewhere In Time vibe is utterly irresistible.Fire Eater only fails to achieve a top scoring here thanks to the final 3 songs. The first of the 2 cover versions in the shape of Judas Priest's “The Ripper” is a great display of George Call's voice and range without merely mimicking Rob Halford while the other, Emerald's “Eye Of The Serpent” is by no mean a dud but nevertheless provides a lukewarm finish to a otherwise storming album. What really hurts this album though is the song sandwiched in between, “Year Of Jubilee”, which overturns the previous achievement of adopting the European Power Metal style without becoming overly twee by mixing Sonata Arctica with Cliff Richard's Christmas singles. It really is as horrifying as it sounds and how it didn't end up on the cutting room floor when the album would still be 48 minutes long without it is beyond me.
Line-Up:
George Call - Vocals, Guitars - See also: Banshee, Emerald, Violent Storm, ex-Omen
Daryl Norton - Guitars, Vocals (backing)
Keith Knight - Bass, Vocals (backing) - See also: Warrion
Danny White - Drums - See also: Violent Storm (live), ex-Sanctuary, ex-Omen, ex-Phantom-X
Tracklist:
01. Everyone Dies 05:51
02. Dead Again 04:02
03. Valhalla 03:53
04. Son of a God 03:52
05. Angela 06:54
06. Harlot of Eden 04:43
07. Red Cell 05:27
08. The Ripper (Judas Priest cover) 03:09
09. Year of Jubilee 04:45
10. The Last Message 02:05
11. Eye of the Serpent 05:44
Download links for all albums only on our blog here: http://goodmetalandhar.do.am/
