Lightning Strikes Twice
In 2005, the fates (and the good people at Frontiers Records) brought together two of metal's most powerful vocalists - Symphony X singer Russell Allen and journeyman Jorn Lande (ex-about a dozen other bands) for a special project called Allen/Lande: The Battle. The album featured songwriting, production, and guitar work by Last Tribe's Magnus Karlsson. The result was melodic metal perfection and one of the year's best albums. Two years later it seems that lightning can indeed strike twice, as both vocalists have returned for another album, this one called the Revenge.
The Revenge brings both powerhouse vocalists back together for another dozen high quality melodic metal songs, again courtesy of Magnus Karlsson. Beyond providing some very excellent guitar work on this album, Karlsson once again proves why he is considered one of the best songwriters/producers in the melodic metal genre. If anyone is better than Karlsson, it would have to be Pink Cream 69's Dennis Ward, who is also on board mixing the Revenge. With such a stellar team in place, expectations for the Revenge are understandably high.
Fortunately, the Revenge lives up to those expectations. Both singers have been busy lately (Allen with the long awaited Symphony X album Paradise Lost and Lande with a pair of compilations), but their performances here are as solid as ever. Each vocalist has a unique and dynamic style, and hearing them perform together is a vocalist fan's dream come true. Fortunately close to half of the songs on the Revenge feature both singers. Karlsson's songs range from harder-edged melodic rock to progressive metal, and totally capitalize on each singer's capabilities. Ward and Karlsson's production skills are also showcased to great effect, as the Revenge has a very crisp and clean overall sound. All in all, the Revenge is a first rate melodic metal album, and a more than worthy successor to the Battle.
The Revenge is another must-have melodic metal fan, and is an early contender for album of the year. If you're a fan of Russell Allen, buy this album. If you're a fan of Jorn Lande, buy this album. If you enjoy top quality melodic metal bands like Pretty Maids, Last Tribe, TNT, Pink Cream 69, Starbreaker, and Sunstorm, you absolutely must buy this album.
PS - I'd love to see this idea expanded a bit to include vocalists like DC Cooper, David Readman, Tony Harnell, etc. in some sort of rotating friendly competition among the genre's best singers.Read full review
