Customer Reviews

Only Human

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

 

 

A man in a shop told me to check these guys out. And I'm SO glad I did.

These boys have been around for some time, but this is apparently their best and best produced release.

How to describe them...neoclassical rock/metal, with commercial leanings, I guess. The vocalist is from the R J Dio school, the guitarist does a pretty good impression of Yngwie, although he's not quite a total clone, the keys are of similar extraction, bass and drums solid, with flashes of brilliance.

And the all-important songs. Well, they can certainly pen a decent tune. Big choruses abound, in particular the title track. And each song has a decent melody line to keep the listener interested, before the band go off into an instrumental work-out. The tempos vary from full-on double bass drum thrashers (aka Stratovarius), to power ballads, with some good ol' stompers thrown in, and a couple of instrumentals (The 4 seasons??!!!)

My version also has a cover of I Surrender, which I think is pretty good, especially the extended outro. In fact it reminds me of when I saw Yngwie in 1989 with J L Turner on vocals, and they did it too.

I gather there are at least 3 different versions of this CD, I certainly recommened this one.

Take a cauldron forged in the purest steel of Germany and put it to boil; then add some "Rainbow" epic style, then some Malmsteen "Marching out" era, a part of Stratovarius "episode" period, a lot of classical music (Great the rendering of the Spring from Vivaldi's Four Seasons) and then let them boil for about an hour or more and you'll get in the end one of the best product in power metal of the year 2k2, At Vance!

In this cd Olaf Lenk and co. create great atmospheres, groovy songs and reinterpretate the "word" spread once by Rainbow covering their "I Surrender" (as a bonus track). After the opening song "Time has come" we find one of the masterpieces of the cd, the "Only Human" song; great power metal influenced by Stratovarius with a catch refrain that take path directly in your ears and in your head and it will never leave you easily! Then we have the granitic "Fly to the rainbow" where the shadow of His Majesty Yngwie Johann Malmsteen appears between the notes and solos of this song, really well played and felt by the group. "Take me away" is a little hymn for all the headbangers, mostly the youngsters, while it took in minds the older ones the great eighties movement. Something particular ,even not so extravagant, "Witches Dance" presents us with an incredible taste for the early 80's and something "ancestral" feelings I cannot really describe...

Great the artwork done by Luis Royo who really fit the groove, the inner strenght of this cd...Let's take a chance to these guys!

WOW! I had never heard of these guys when I stumbled upon them through a sound bite on a website. I was amazed. With all the bands out there that sound the same, these guys rise above. They have leanings toward Yngwie Malmsteen, but yet are different. They can write a good song with catchy riffs, good vocals and choruses you want to sing along with!!! I am always impressed with bands that write good songs that are melodic and not just loud guitars with no ryhme or reason. The title track "Only Human" is amazing! probably the best of the CD. "Fly to the Rainbow" shows off the vocal range of this singer. Truely amazing! The cover song of Rainbows "I surrender" is a great way to end this CD. anyone who is a fan of Yngwie Malmsteen or neo/classical bands need to pick this one up for their collection. Although this is a review for this CD you should also check out two of their better CD's "Dragon Chaser" and "Heart of Steel".