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Massacre Records
Words: Craig Hartranft Added: 11.07.2014
It's hard to believe the first and last time I heard from Sweden's Crystal Eyes was nearly six years ago. 2008's Chained was one of those guilty pleasures: a fine slab of traditional melodic power metal that most modern music critics love to hate. Now they've returned with their seventh album, Killer, with a few interesting changes.
Founding member and guitarist Mikael Dahl returns to his vocalist role, which vacated from 2005 to 2009, for this recording and live performances. Also, guitarist Niclas Karlsson, another founding member, returns to the band, some 20 years after it's inception. What hasn't changed is Crystal Eyes' commitment to classic melodic heavy/power metal that made the Eighties famous.
Crystal Eyes loads up this album with all those elements that, once more, make Killer indulgent like a double chocolate fudge ice cream sundae. Melody with hooks in arrangements and refrains are at a premium. But also are large melodic riffs, big guitar solos, speed and rock groove, and pleasing vocal harmonies. Dahl is a terrific metal vocalist; he sings clean and melodic, yet with that necessary edge necessary for heavy metal. All these work into some terrific melodic heavy metal: Killer, Warrior, Dogs on Holy Ground, and Hail The Fallen sway between blistering power metal and catchy groove monsters. That hard rock groove essentially moves the melodic metal of the catchy Spotlight Rebel. Also, the band does not shy away from metal ballad with Dreamers On Trial, a nice soaring anthem that showcases Dahl's vocals once more.
I thought Chained was pretty darn good, but Killer is pretty darn, well, killer. (Sorry, had to phrase it that way.) Yeah, it's likely that only those who love old school melodic heavy metal will give ear to this album, and the modern metal music critics will turn up their collective noses. But, you know what, who gives a shit what they think. Crystal Eyes' Killer is solid and entertaining stuff. Easily recommended.
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For classic melodic heavy/power metal in the best tradition, Crystal Eyes' Killer is solid and entertaining music.
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