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Death Dealer (CD)
Northern Island hard rockers Stormzone features ex-Sweet Savage and Fastway vocalist John 'Harv' Harbinson. Anyone expecting a copycat band will be disappointed. These melodic hard rockers with a hint of classic NWOBHM about them even inspired Neal Kay (the guy who championed Maiden back in the day) to want to co-produce this, their second album following their successful debut release. The album is quite a long listen, but when you have some quality tunes like 'Secret Gateway' and 'Immortals' you don't care. This is very easy on the ears, the are classic British guitar fills, some vocal melodies that would fit well with Blaze Bailey and his stint in Maiden, perhaps one of the things Mr Kay saw in Stormzone? Anyway, a real vocal style, singing properly and arrangements crafted with class and melody. Take 'Death Dealer', the opening tune, it keeps on building right into the bridge and then things get topped off in the chorus. This is classic song writing, they way it used to be or the way it always has been in current AOR circles. Chris Polin and Keith Harris trade guitar solos like the pro's that they are, perfect harmonisation and fitting to the arrangements, there is no guitar virtuoso's here, it is not needed, you get a complete band package and proper songs. 'Labyrinth', has a blinding opening riff, laying waste to some more powerful, yet soulful melodic metal. If you don't know this band already, you should really check them out, especially fans of Praying Mantis, Dirty Deeds and more of those classic British bands.
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