Customer Reviews

Unholy

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Born out of the massive upheaval in leaving the Metal Heaven label, Unholy finds the new Altaria ditching the keyboards and the European trappings "Divinity" and "The Fallen Empire" were drenched in. In its place we have an 80's rock sound that is, quite literally, embarrassing in this day and age. I couldn't stop laughing during my first listen through the album. As one can imagine, a song like "Steal Your Thunder" (which sounds like something Diamond Dave would have performed) is as silly as it sounds.

Still, as silly and outdated as it is (let's be honest) it starts to click after a few listens, try as you might to reject and ignore it. You know you shouldn't like it, and there are other bands and albums (like 2004's Divinity) worthy of the attention, but it pulls you in with a Star Wars-esque tractor beam regardless.

This brings me to a quote in the booklet by vocalist Marco Lupenero, which tells one they're an idiot if they don't like this album. Hmmm... well, I think liking this album makes me an idiot, so I'm damned if I do and I'm damned if don't, eh? This won't stop me from enjoying a crunchy tune like "The Lake" or anything, but this isn't really a good album, nor is it bad. "Unholy" is a classic example of something that's crafted so it can't fail yet it can't really succeed. I guess for some (musicians) that's fine, but for a band that was somewhat lost in the vast sea of European metal acts, the approach and path taken here is no less treacherous or shorter. That said, one has to wonder if the eventual follow-up can skirt by with an identical scheme. Part of me kind of hopes not.

"Altaria" is probably recognized as band that featured "Nightwish" guitarist Emppu Vuorinen; subsequently the stereotype that most would agree upon is that they play melodic power metal (with strong symphonic and neoclassical influences at parts). Well all this changes with this latest release, "Unholy". "Altaria" is a reborn hard rock- melodic metal band with a very 80s direction. Imagine the best riffs of mid-late 80s "Kiss" blended with the melodic guitar work and vocal lines of "Sinner" and you come very close to the new "Altaria".

How this change became possible? Well their long time bass player, Marko Pukkila left the group and current vocalist Marco Lupenero picked up the bass enabling "Altaria" to continue as a four piece which brings them automatically closer to the formation of "Kiss" and "Sinner". Aside of that Lupenero is a younger version of Mat Sinner ("Sinner", "Primal Fear"), there is no other way of putting it: His voice is miraculously similar to that of the German front man while his singing style is absolutely identical and of course his bass lines follow the same mid tempo subtlety.
Clearly, even without playing the album, the fact that "Altaria" named this release "Unholy" (also the title of early 90s "Kiss" power track) while featuring a track called "Danger Zone" (named after Sinner's theme track) naturally raises suspicion as of the direction of this record.

But it has to be clear that this is by no means second best! Yes it sounds familiar but it offers the listener a ton of diamonds: "Warrior", "Unholy Invasion", "Danger Zone", "Steal your thunder", the poetic "Wind beneath my wings" and the anthem "We own the fire" are a load of "Sinner" influenced mega tracks that carry the best musical qualities of 1985.

Equally as considerate as before, still, much more macho and aggressive and I have to say that it much easier for me to connect to their new sound.