Vengeance descending --- Crystal Eyes --- 2003 (Heavy Fidelity)
An album I had originally slated for “Bitesize”, this turned out to be so good in the course of my listening to the first few tracks that I decided it deserved a place here. Formed in Sweden in 1992, Crystal Eyes have currently six albums, of which this is the third. Their last was in 2008, but there's talk of a new one soon, so fingers crossed! The last copy I had was corrupted, but even then I got a real sense of listening to something special, so I've bought it again from a different source.
The title track opens proceedings with a phrase which is I'm sorry going to dog this review, and it's Iron Maiden. I can't help it: the guitars sound
very Maidenesque, the melodies on occasion border on rip-off without quite hitting that ground, and it's thoroughly enjoyable metal all the way. At least vocalist Mikael Dahl sounds nothing like Dickinson, with his own style even though he does imitate the “air-raid siren” a lot. It's a fast and powerful opener, heavy but very melodic, putting me in mind also of Nightscape, whose only album “Symphony of the night” I reviewed a long time ago. There's a certain military style that creeps into the song close to the end, and it sort of (sort of) slows down, but refreshingly though this is an instrumental section it's not peppered by mad guitar solos or shredding, with the two guitars working very well together.
A deep, throaty bassline from Claes Wikander starts “Highland revenge”, soon joined by the twin guitar attack of Jonathan Nyberg and Dahl, in a semi-historical tale of vengeance that Manowar would be proud of --- well, what was it the title said was descending, after all? Some great thunderous drumming courtesy of Stefan Svantesson, and a really nice little guitar breather in the middle, what sounds like keys but I don't see any credit for those. Oh wait: I see from my friends
Encylopaedia Metallum that Dahl plays the keyboards too. Rather embarrassingly, he then yells “Freedom!” Uh yeah, Mikael: how many times have you watched “Braveheart”, exactly? Possibly a little off for a band from Scandinavia to be singing about Scottish independence, but then, stranger subjects have been covered, and it's a decent rocker with a lot of heart, and a great chorus: very anthemic.
A nice gentle little intro to “Mr. Failure”, but it doesn't last as the guitars toughen up and the song gets going and is a good power anthem with another great chorus ... hold on a minute! They're singing “Mr. Failure” in the next track! So that means, uh, the titles got fecked about. Thanks a lot, Megaboon! I paid a dollar for this? Right, I'll have to look back and see what track I was talking about, then. As it goes, “Mr. Failure” is great fun, a fast, rock and rolling beast that just doesn't care and doesn't in any way take itself seriously. It's followed by “Dream chaser”, which has a guitar opening perhaps just a little too close to a famous song by Guns n Roses, but is pretty damn great, with a more Maidenesque sound coming through as the track gets going, and the drums roll out a pretty decent attempt on “Die with your boots on”. Sorry guys, but the comparisons just can't be overlooked.
Oh, it seems the track I thought, or was led to believe, was “Mr. Failure” originally is called “Child of rock”. Well, that's what happens when you're too poor to shell out for the CD. Also, watching porn while trying to do a review is not really recommended. Really must get my eyes tested. Anyway... on we go, and “Dream chaser” has another fistful of hooks and a great chorus, and a truly excellent guitar solo from Nyberg. This takes us into the longest track, seven minutes plus of “The wizard's apprentice”, on which for some reason session vocalist Daniel Nieman, best known for his work with Lost Horizon and Heed, takes the mike. I have to say, good as the song is, I don't see any really appreciable difference between his vocals and Mikael Dahl's, not so much that there should be any reason the regular singer couldn't do this song. Perhaps there were other reasons.
Nice guitar work too, but what comes through most powerfully is the earthquake drumming of Svantesson, which really drives the track and gives it an even heavier edge than the ones that I have already heard up to this. “Metal crusade”, as you might expect, keeps things hard and heavy, marching along on a robust guitar line with Dahl back on vocals, and it's another of those “rock will never die” songs that are generally quite funny, depending on how seriously the band are taking themselves.
”Heavy metal roars in our brains/ Heavy metal runs in our veins!” Uh, yeah.
Another marching, military style rhythm and more Maiden tricks on “The beast in velvet” --- I assume they're not talking about Eddie! --- No, it's the tale of a degenerate aristocrat who seems to enjoy hunting people, safe from any sort of legal repercussions as he is one of the wealthy and privileged, and therefore protected and untouchable. Great solos from both Dahl and Nyberg, and some nice noodling on the frets too, then we're into “Heart of the mountain”, which has a touch of the Gary Moores about it, definite celtic feel, perhaps harking back to “Highland revenge”, with again some great guitar interplay between Dahl and Nyberg: they really work well together.
The album closes on the oddly-named “Oblivion in the visionary world”, and no, I have no idea what it means, though looking at the lyric it seems perhaps it may be about death or the afterlife, and facing same. Either way, it's a nice laidback respite from all the mad power-metal which, great as it is, tends to get the tiniest bit wearing at times. Oh, and I'm wrong:
this is far and away the longest track, almost nine minutes long. Some exquisite and heartfelt guitar work from Nyberg and a beautiful solo from Dahl as his axe partner keeps the main melody: just lovely. Oh wait, once again I'm wrong. The song ends before the six minute mark and then there's silence for a minute or so, then some mad “Muppet Show”-type jam comes in for a few seconds and it's over. Exceedingly weird. But a damn fine album, and a band I need to hear more from.
TRACKLISTING
1. Vengeance descending
2. Highland revenge
3. Child of rock
4. Mr. Failure
5. Dream chaser
6. The wizard's apprentice
7. Metal crusade
8. The beast in velvet
9. Heart of the mountain
10. Oblivion in the visionary world