Guitar great Axel Rudi Pell once again returns with another chapter of his illustrious career. 'Shadow Zone' is Pell' latest offering and once again features Johnny Gioeli on lead vocals. Once again the album is written very close to the style of the previous Gioeli sang albums with there being the usual finesse that has become trademark. The music once again has a very melodic element. The album intros with 'The curse of chains' and leads into the rocker 'Edge of the World'. This really has become a standard for Axel's albums. One thing I noticed about this release is more of a steady tempo throughout. In the past you would get some tempo changes ie. 'Ashes from the Oath'. On this release what you hear at the first song is pretty much it. Not that this is bad by any means, just a bit of a change from recent albums. The album is not his heaviest either. Most of the tracks are in a mid tempo style. Some of the tracks I found to be my favorite include 'Live for the King' which does have a slight progression, the very melodic and dreamy 'All the rest of my life', 'Follow the sign', the atmospheric epic 'Time of the truth', 'Heartbreaker', and 'Under the Gun'. The music on the album has consistency and has the usual feel we've come to expect as fans.
Overall
This is a good release. It's not my favorite Axel Rudi Pell album but it is definitely up to his standard of excellence. I really love the melody that Pell utilizes in his music and this album is overflowing with it. The heavier end is the only thing missing in my opinion. The release has it's heavy moments, but doesn't have those full throttle bursts I've come to love. I still have to give it a thumbs up and recommend it due to Pell's ability to deliver higher than average quality on a consistent basis.
Canadian based Omega A.D. are a band with a bright future. I recieved a 3 track promo from the band that I feel was worth mentioning. The band seem able to do a variety of things and do them well. With only 3 tracks I will discuss each in detail. The first track is titled 'Meatgrinder'. Now you are gonna already know what to expect from the title when it comes to tempo. The track is heavy with a bit of a modern sound and also has a bit of a psychadelic sound to it. 'The Hiding Chair' is up next and retains the same basic tempo but is a bit more straightforward. Very crunchy sounding. There is a bit of melody fused into this track which is a nice addition. The final track is 'Null & Void' and is the lightest of the three. The track carries a fair amount of melody and emotion. The point here is that the band can rock and also slow down with some melody. I feel that is a good measure of a band. The ability to do both equally as well.
Overall
This promo is something to wet the appetite with. It gives you an idea of what the band is about and where they are at musically. This band seems very capable of getting the job done. Definitely keep your eyes out in the future for Omega A.D. !
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