Customer Reviews

Land Of The Free - Part II

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I'll keep this simple. I've been a Gamma Ray fan for many years and have enjoyed every single release to the fullest. LOTF2 is a more than worthy addition to the Gamma Ray catalogue. 2005's "Majestic" I thought was one of the best albums a band could write this late in their career, and LOTF2 is proving still there are no signs of Kai and Company running out of uplifting ideas and wonderful melodies.

My favourite songs on the album are: To Mother Earth, From The Ashes, Insurrection, and Into The Storm. Emperess is extremley heavy, and Oppertunity has some fantastic melodies. To Mother Earth and From The Ashes are some of the best Gamma Ray songs to sing along too, and id say Insurrection has one of the best middle sections you could ever ask for.

The Great Eagle of Power Metal flies high once again!!! \m/ Up The Rayz!!

The Good
German power metallers GammaRay return with their 9th studio album which finds them continuing the saga that was their 1996 album Land of the Free. For those of you not familiar, GammaRay is the brainchild of former Helloween guitarist Kai Hansen. This sequel isn't so much a continuation of its predecessor, but more of homage to its sound and feel.

"Into the Storm" takes you into the belly of the beast with double kick drums and lightening-fast guitar playing. "From the Ashes" continues to capture the energy and power that GammaRay is putting out there, while keeping the chorus melodic. "To Mother Earth" is practically a guitar and drum duel between Kai Hansen and Dan Zimmerman to see who can plat the fastest. In between that competition is a great song about saving our planet.

"Rain" comes at you like a furious storm rather than a like trickle. "Empress" has more of a commercial feel as the speed is brought to mid-tempo. It still packs a punch with its arena rock feel. Finger-twisting guitar runs and frantic chugga-chugga riffs are plentiful on "When the World." "Real World" is laden with keyboard tones, power chords, and tuneful melodies. "Insurrection" is an eleven minute power metal epic that reminds you why you like this genre in the first place.

The Bad
Nothing

The Verdict
Sequels don't usually live up to the original. Fortunately with Land of the Free II you're not getting another chapter in the story, but more of a fresh take on an old classic. If it's power, high energy, and fast-paced guitars that you're craving, look no further than this album. You'll even get vocals rich and melody as a bonus. Seventeen years has not slowed down the power metal machine that is GammaRay.

Una de las mejores bandas de Power Metal vuelve ala carga con este album. Para mi uno de los mejores incluyendo los albums en vivo. Tiene tremenda coordinacion en los solos de gitarras y la voz de Kai Hansen se oye mejor que nunca. Simplemente el mejor album de Power metal en mi coleccion.

I have to largely agree with all the reviewers here, this is an outstanding heavy metal album. Only one person mentioned that one song has a Maiden-esque "Powerslave" era feel. Actually there are many nods to Maiden, Priest, and even Accept all over the record. They are all respectfully played and very cleverly placed, as Kai and his band have always been excellent song writers. 'Into the Storm' has a totally Adrian Smith riff tucked into a Glenn Tipton inspired section. 'From the Ashes' is based around a couple of classic '80's style Steve Harris-isms. 'Rain' has a quiet bridge section right off of "Piece of Mind". 'Leaving Hell' has an early guitar solo that sounds so much like Adrian Smith, it just might BE him. 'Empress' is an obvious homage to 'Princess of the Dawn' by Accept, as it appropriates and mutates several ideas from that track. 'When the World' owes a huge debt to 'Back in the Village' (Adrian again) for its verse riff. It also has a serious Steve Harris part leading into the main solo. 'Opportunity' is built on a latter-day style Priest riff, deliberate and stately, with a hilariously awesome bridge borrowed from 'Rime of the Ancient Mariner'. 'Real World' is what Priest's "Turbo" album should have sounded like; it also has lifted the quiet section from Priest's 'The Sentinel' nearly verbatim. 'Hear Me Calling' borrows heavily from the "British Steel" album, something more people should do. 'Insurrection' (the track that harkens back to the original album the most) starts with a mutation of 'Evening Star' by Priest; at around 3:45 or so it goes into a "Defenders of the Faith" motif; at around 5:30, more heroic Maidenisms. All the while, you never forget that you're actually listening to Gamma Ray. You don't have to be a power metal fan to love this record, any old school '70's or '80's metalhead will find plenty of points of reference.

Gamma Ray are back to stay, and the new tour with Helloween is totally awesome!!! Great songs, pure speed, awesome riffs and overall a classic album! 10/10

Kay Hansen and co. are back to bring a very fine album a nice work of guitar all along the album. A nice piece of power metal.

I was surprised they were doing a Land of the Free Pt 2, because not all the current band lineup was on that album, and when Benji and Dan joined, they produced amazing albums. Powerplant pt 2 would have been the best, I thought. But anyways about this album. This album is a huge surprise. It's soo good it's unreal. Fast, and energetic songs, with Kai's voice sounding like his earlier stuff. I thought Majestic lacked a little especially in the vocals(Kai sounded a bit old). This is definately in my top 3 GR albums, though I love every album of theirs and believe they can't put out a bad album. Powerplant being my favorite, then No World Order, then this album. Get it for sure! There's even a song that sounds like Maiden on the Powerslave album. To Mother Earth is my favorite right now, but every song is amazing, no lie. And the solos are sick. Any fan of GR will not be disappointed, and if they are, contact me and we'll discuss it.

i had to order the new Gamma Ray Cd from amazon because it's hard to fine and I live in Chicago. Everyone here listens to that mtv screamo metal crap. Well anyway this disc is great. I like it better then the last and I thought that one was the best. Leaving hell and Opportunity are great but the last song is just plain their best, which is Insurrection. So if you want to listen to real metal buy this or go ahead and buy the the screamo metal where most of the bands don't know how to guitar solo.

As i have already said in my title it is a just ok album. Its too average. There a re no memorable momments or lets say hits. Its just an avergage album in the mtal scene (which has so many albums). only for huge fans of Gamma ray or collectors.

I've been a Gamma Ray fan for many years and while some of their CDs haven't exactly blown me away they do have a great feel for how to put together quality power metal music. That said, this CD will not dissapoint any Power Metal or Gamma Ray fan. They mix the pace of the songs nicely with their trademark speedy guitar songs and some heavy mid-paced crunchers. The song "Empress" is clearly a tribute to Accepts "Princess Of The Dawn" and though it has moments that sound similar it is not a rip-off. In my opinion this CD is superior to Majestic and is more like a combination of that and New World Order. This CD will rock you seriously!!! Get it soon.