You know sometimes when a vocalist’s voice just doesn’t click with you. Well this is one of those albums for me sadly and Peter Ellis’ voice joins Geddy Lee, Ozzy and Klaus Meine on my list of vocalists I just can’t seem to connect to. I mention those other names of course expecting most of you to probably like one or other of them and give this album a chance because it’s actually rather good and technically there is certainly nothing at all wrong with Mr. Ellis’ pipes.
On an album that adds covers of Iron Maiden (Déjà Vu) and Rainbow (Long Live Rock ‘n’ Roll) you might be forgiven on scanning the track-list to think that there are others – with titles like ‘Creatures of the Night’ and ‘Wheels of Steel’ but they are indeed originals. What all those songs and titles are, are pointers to the sort of old school Metal-fest that you get here.
Yes were are back in NWOBHM territory with a definite Maiden meets Priest meets Saxon slant to proceedings and they do it rather well bringing melody to the traditional grunt. Some might even venture that we get close to Power Metal at times, and I’ll give you that but really this is more like Maiden from an alternate universe with a Justin Hawkins type accented vocal (sans falsetto).
If you’re curious try the wonderful ‘The Chalice’; the slower ‘Nightrider,’ which sports the best vocal here, or the hard rocking ‘Straight Through the Heart’ you’ll be rewarded.