• New Music Reviews
• |
• Archives
• |
• News
• |
• Submissions
• |
• About
• |
• 
• |
• 

October 2024

• Frost*: Life In The Wires
• Aries Descendant: From The Ashes Of Deceit
• Fans Of The Dark: Video
• Radioactive (Tommy Denander): Reset
• House Of Lords: Full Tilt Overdrive
• Cleanbreak: We Are The Fire

September 2024

• Sinner's Blood: Dark Horizons
• Serious Black: Rise Of Akhenaton
• Eclipse: Megalomanium II
• SteelCity: Reverence
• Hydra: ReHydrated
• Heartwind: III
• Gabrielle De Val and the Dragonlords: Tiger
• Find Me: Nightbound
• The Nail: The Nail
• Timeless Fairytale: A Story To Tell
• Stryper: When We Were Kings
• Phil Mogg: Moggs Motel
• Pure Reason Revolution: Coming Up To Consciousness
• Jordan Rudess: Permission To Fly

August 2024

• Siege Perilous: Creation's Call EP
• Paralydium: Universe Calls
• Mike Tramp: Songs Of White Lion Vol. II
• Bite The Bullet: Looking For Paradise
• All For Metal: Gods Of Metal (Year Of The Dragon)
• Hammerfall: Avenge The Fallen
• Jim Peterik & World Stage: Roots & Shoots Vol. 2

July 2024

• Ironflame: Kingdom Torn Asunder
• Spektra: Hypnotized
• (Michael) Palace: Reckless Heart
• Mr. Big: Ten
• Dark Mile: Dark Mile

June 2024

• Kaipa: Sommargryningsljus
• Sunbomb: Light Up The Sky
• Seven Spires: A Fortress Called Home
• Atlantic: Another World
• Xeneris: Eternal Rising
• New Horizon: Conquerors
• Issa: Another World

May 2024

• Rhapsody Of Fire: Challenge The Wind
• Cloven Hoof: Heathen Cross
• Perseus: Into The Silence
• Yes: Talk (1994/2024) Reissue
• Marty Friedman: Drama
• Demon: Invincible
• The Treatment: Wake Up The Neighbourhood
• The Tangent: To Follow Polaris
• Riot V: Mean Streets
• Anette Olzon: Rapture
• FM: Old Habits Die Hard

[ More Music Reviews ]

Praying Mantis: Sanctuary

Melodic Hard Rock

Rating: 3.5/5.0

Frontiers Records
www.praying-mantis.com
www.myspace.com/prayingmantisrock
Review: Craig Hartranft,  06.14.2009

Praying Mantis is another enduring musical adventure from our friends in the UK. Their history goes deep into early 1980's NWOBHM, but since then their roots are pure melodic hard rock. Sanctuary is their ninth studio album in a nearly three decade career. Sanctuary is a tour-de-force of prime melodic hard rock in the greatest tradition which now is mostly found across the pond. Even though Praying Mantis and most traditional melodic hard rock may be lost in the fickle musical climate of America, Sanctuary, though hardly perfect, is still an exemplary example of the the best the genre can offer.

Praying Mantis offers both brilliant and conventional, meaning traditional in a very good way, melodic rock on Sanctuary. They are not reinventing the wheel here. Sanctuary is characterized by passionate lead vocals, grand vocal arrangements, a solid rhythm section, and slick guitar solos: all these are ingredients that make for basic melodic hard rock. This is not a bad thing.

Praying Mantis presents their best work on Tears In The Rain, So High, and Threshold Of A Dream. Sometimes their offerings becomes standard, awash in the predictable, as on Touch The Rainbow, Highway, or Playing God, which is only saved by the guitar solo. Yet, in the end, Sanctuary is a moving, and often versatile, album of melodic hard rock. It's good stuff in a grand tradition. I liked it and believe fans of traditional melodic hard rock should jump on board. Quite recommended!

Sanctuary is a moving, and often versatile, album of melodic hard rock. It's good stuff in a grand tradition. I liked it and believe fans of traditional melodic hard rock should jump on board.

Alphabetical Index

By far, Sweden's Eclipse is one of my favorite bands. Always consistent and always entertaining, Eclipse has been delivering their 21st century version of melodic metal rock since songwriter, producer ... [ Read More ]