The Call

As is now customary with nearly every metal act, this opens with an intro track, and for once, I like it, and it gives the album a little more depth. It serves to set up one of the better tracks 'I am Alive'. Strong song and a great way to open an album. Unfortunately, it here that the songs started to blend for me. Honestly, I was distracted enough by reading some other reviews for this album that Ashes, Enemy, and Salvation all passed me by.

However, while those tracks were playing, I learned that the vocalist here is pretty hot stuff in the power community. While I do not know about that, he is definitely the strongest player on this stage. I also noticed something that would normally be a turn-off for me. This album has some mainstream metalcore influences. They are subtle and done well, but I hear some pitch harmonics and breakdowns. They are not present on every track, and are done with incredible taste, so they actually improved the album.

Tears of the Prodigy and The Other Side recaptured my attention and really brought up the feel of this album for my personal high point: Hypnosis.

It is fast, it is exciting, and I truly enjoyed it. I was honestly wondering if the album could manage to top itself at this point. Nothing is an acoustic piece that really displays the vocal talents here, and is a breath of fresh air. The Flight picks up after nothing and ends this experience on a strong note.

You should not pick this album up for spectacular guitar, interesting drums, or a superb bassist. Those are all present and all do their jobs well. The soul, the spirit of this is in the vocalist, for he is the one that really makes this work.

You can look at this album two ways. One can think that the songs are bland, similar, rather stripped down, and only supported by a strong vocalist. I view it as an album with strong songs that show a minor modern influence, and flow together really well. This album walks a fine line between mediocrity and masterful. It is truly neither, but is more on the masterful side.