Customer Reviews

Unification

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Of the three Iron Savior releases to date, this one is by far the strongest. In Unification, Iron Savior finally finds the sound that seperates them from Gamma Ray and Helloween. This CD is equall to or maybe even outshines most of the releases by the two biggest European Power Metal bands. Iron Savior is a newcomer to the scene, but they are showing some of the old boys how it should be done (Wake up Metallica / Megadeth!).

The guitars, drums, Lyrics... everything about this album are simply stunning. In fact, the only weak songs on the album take place at the end where Savior is covering tracks by other bands!

I definately recommend all of the Iron Savior albums to any power-metal fan. However, Unification has a speciall place even above the other two (so far). Also, pay attention to the story line. This is how sci-fi should be... move over Star Wars: Episode I.

In response to "Bah, so-so" boy down below: I have to respect his opinion, although I totally disagree. The tracks tend to blur together my skinny power-metal posterior! Is that why I go nuts every time I hear the intro to "Forces of Rage" and why I strike a dramatic pose in expentance of Kai Hansens vocals on "Deadly Sleep"? Each original track on this CD is a masterpiece in its own right and advances the story with power, finesse, and style. I wish their were more bands playing like this today.

This album is absolutely one of the best in its genre ,
no flaws or glitches , just straight ahead melodic metal
with guitar playing extraordinaire ( Kai Hansen from
Helloween .....) and singing by one of Germanys most
skilled and mature metal vocalists today ( which especially
will please those of you who get a headache from the
countless numbers of overpitched castrate singers in
power metal ).
Songwriting is top and the singalong potential is doubtless
comparative to Helloweens better albums , only Iron Saviour is
much more melodic and refined - really , really great !!!

I picked up the Iron Savior debut about ten years ago when I was in a major power metal phase, and for whatever reason it failed to move me. I hadn't given the band any further thought until I caught their live set at 2008's ProgPower USA festival. I left that set amazed at just how good Iron Savior's brand of melodic power metal really was, so when I ran across a copy of the band's 1999 album Unification, I decided to give them another chance.

Unification definitely lines up with what I experienced seeing Iron Savior live. It's an extremely professional, heavy hitting, highly melodic power metal album with some absolutely incredible vocals by Piet Sielk. I didn't realize just how heavily Helloween/Gamma Ray founder Kai Hansen was involved in Iron Savior at the time, so hearing his familiar voice (not to mention the killer guitar work) was reassuring. I'm not so keen on the sci-fi fixation, but I guess you can't sing about dragons and swords all the time.

Unification is the kind of muscular, old school power metal album that you can really sink your teeth into. More leather and spikes than flowing shirts and crowns (cough, Rhapsody, cough), it never seems quite as cheesy as power metal can sometimes be (cough, Hammerfall, cough). Covers of "Gorgar" (Helloween) and "Neon Knights" (Black Sabbath) were nice nods to the old school, though closing song "Dragonslayer", a song by folk metal band Excelsis, was an odd choice. Iron Savior's version of "Neon Knights" was particularly powerful with those vocal harmonies and backing vocals. As silly as this sounds, if the Nelson brothers ever released a power metal album it would probably sound like this.

I'm happy to admit that I was wrong about Iron Savior, and I know this will not be the last of their albums that I buy.

This whole album sounds like a (fictional) soundtrack to what a Power Rangers movie would sound like. At least the old Power Rangers theme. Its their best album though, Deadly Sleep and Forevermore are the best Kai Hansen songs in years.

This album is absolutely one of the best in its genre ,
no flaws or glitches , just straight ahead melodic metal
with guitar playing extraordinaire ( Kai Hansen from
Helloween .....) and singing by one of Germanys most
skilled and mature metal vocalists today (...).
Songwriting is top and the singalong potential is doubtless
comparative to Helloweens better albums , only Iron Saviour is
much more melodic and refined - really , really great !!!!!!!!

GREAT POWER METAL. PAY ATTENTION AND FEEL THE UNIQUENESS. THESE ARE NOT GAMMAY RAY, BLIND GUARDIAN, GRAVEDIGGER LEFTOVERS. THIS IS A LANDMARK ALBUM WITH ALL AROUND GREAT MUSICIANSHIP, LYRICS AND STORY LINE.

Great Musicians ! Great Songs ! If you like Gamma Ray and Helloween, try it !

not a single bad song on this one, fast and powerfull, I can't wait until their next one

oh - how do they do it ?
With Kai Hansen ( Helloween/Gamma Ray ) and Piet
Sielck behind the controls the expectations are
as high as ever ; but don't You think these guys still
manage to surprise with flying colours ?
Totally awesome. This is straight-ahead melodic power metal
that goes right to business without any fuzz or progressive
elements ; just catchy riffs and killer choruses en masse - and
boy do they do it well.....
All tracks are great ; and I don't agree that Hansens 98' version
of " Gorgar " ist that bad. But best tracks are the first
five. This is a CD that puts fast melodic metal right back at the pedestal that so many failed to reach....
My only ( this will upset people ) remark would be ; why don't
they let Hansen sing more ; I think he is every bit as good as
Sielck ( which by the way is a outstanding songwriter ).
Those who praise the good old days of NWOBHM back
in the eighties should lend Unification their attention and
realize that this that kind of music taken to it's absolute
optimus and adjusted to the speed and compact melodies that
signify modern european/german power metal....
Great !

Iron Savior pays tribute to the power metal genre with this powerful CD. Unification has Iron Savior (thier first CD), and Interlude (their third CD) beaten by far. The song Neon Knights is easily worth the price of the CD (even if it is a re-make). Iron Savior combines roaring instrumentals with powerful vocals to force feed you pure adrenline. Although not quite as good as some of Blind Guaridan's works of Metal magic these guys are worth checking out. This CD is their 2nd and it continues the story of the first CD. Warning: Do not try to sleep to this music... it won't happen! Yes, it is THAT good!