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May 2023

• Renaisance Rock Orchestra: Ice Age Cometh
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[ More Music Reviews ]

Heaven's Trail: Lethal Mind

Melodic Heavy Metal Rock

3.0/5.0

Website (Label)
Escape Music
Released: 25.10.2018
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 24.10.2018

Heaven's Trail is a new band created by guitarist Barish Kepic, formerly of Jaded Heart, Powerworld, and Evidence One. His band features notable German rock and metal musicians, including Rick Altzi from Masterplan on vocals. Kepic and Heaven's Trail drop their debut album Lethal Mind for UK's Escape Music label.

Heaven's Trail

This review will be brief, or at the very least, I will attempt to make it so, with the reason quickly forthcoming. Fundamentally, with guitarist Kepic in charge, Heaven's Trail plays guitar-centered melodic heavy metal rock. In his songwriting and arrangements, most every song has some familiar suspects: sharp riffs and a heavy bottom end for a metal edge, an abundance of rock rhythm and groove, and then all these things leading to Kepic ripping off some dandy guitar solos. Additionally, most all songs are wrapped in acceptable melodies and memorable refrains. And that's all good.

The wild card here for me was the vocals. As usual, I listened to the music before I read the press one-sheet. I do this simply because I don't want to do the first with preconceived expectations. But with my first spin of Lethal Mind, I had two reactions. First, I did not like the raspy sore throat vocals. Second, I thought I recognized the voice, but couldn't put my finger on the singer. On to the label's one-sheet and there was Rick Altzi. I'm just not a fan. While others may appreciate his style, even if the music may be terrific, I find myself suffering through his vocal presence. Needless to say, I found the songwriting and melodic heavy metal rock of Heaven's Trail impressive and enjoyable, but the vocals not so much. It's up to you to decide where your interest lies.

Orion's Reign: Scores Of War

Melodic Symphonic Power Metal

4.0/5.0

Rising from the clutter of the "where have they been" file is Greek metal band Orion's Reign. We haven't heard from these Athenians since 2008's Nuclear Winter ... [ Read More ]

I found the songwriting and melodic heavy metal rock of Heaven's Trail impressive and enjoyable, but the vocals not so much. It's up to you to decide where your interest lies.

Alphabetical Index

This experience deserves mention for one very good reason: Finland's One Desire is one of the best classic AOR melodic hard rock bands in the genre and, perhaps, the world, right now So, I also apologize, in ... [ Read More ]