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Shadow Gallery - Tyranny CD (album) cover

TYRANNY

Shadow Gallery

 

Progressive Metal

4.05 | 332 ratings

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EliasMisael
5 stars Wow this thing of making reviews is something difficult specially when we are in front of MASTERPIECES.

Here we go:

1. Stiletto In The Sand: This is a very short, dynamic, in your face opening instrumental, a glimpse of what's coming

2. War For Sale: Continues with the dynamic from the previous track, including a short but agressive guitar solo, then the voice enters: The dramatic Mike Baker. Catchy choruses and superb vocal harmonies. Typical Technical progmetal. Later into this song we have fast guitar harmonies and shredding guitar solo.

3. Out Of Nowhere: Begins with short guitar solo, here the mood is more calm, again Mr. Baker shines, and the catchy choruses really well sung. Layers of keyboards througout, a shredding guitar solo here and there. And nice Keyboard solo. Flute melody towards the end.

4. Mystery: Starts with a tricky riff? Or are the drums what makes the difference? Mystery? Another keyboard lead, wonderful vocal harmonies, carried by nice drums. Nice violin section interrupted by and nice interplay between Keyb/Bass/Guitar/Drums then keyboard has a little soloing over this interplay. Then comes a visceral guitar solo (in the style of those 80's guitar-hero solos, think of Marty Friedman, saving distances, but less evil ;-)) This song ends with a varianza of the tricky riff from the beginning.

5. Hope For Us: Begins with elegance provided by the piano, here the mood is a kind of melancholic, which is confirmed by the beautiful chorus. There is casual acoustic guitar. A beautiful guitar solo. The song ends with piano. Beauty ballad.

6. Victims: Starts gently with strings, this is interrupted by a heavy section (that kind of heaviness which the mighty Bonzo gave to Zep Songs, see what I'm trying to say?) Again the vocal harmonies are superb. The song ends with some variations of the heavy section but with a cool way to "exploit" the riff, Brilliant!

7. Broken: This is a really short and emotive piano driven ballad. Beautiful.

8. I Believe: This begins with wonderful vocal work, violins, and guitar leads that add dramatic quality to the moment. Then the mood is calm by piano and the song flows very well. Later on the song there is a shredding guitar solo, and a flashy guitar/Keyboard harmony which is interrupted by a complex section laying beneath a beauty keyboard lead, then briefly the song becomes straightforward metal. Then comes a joy guitar solo with really nice phrasing.

9. Roads Of Thunder: Begins disordered? Then a nice harmony between Keyb/Guitar is interrupted by a guitar solo acompannied by acoustic guitar. The voice enters beautifully over this ballad mood. Then the mood becomes a little agressive during the chorus. This mood shifting repeats once againg and later the music becomes dark, this is enhanced by spoken samples. The chorus repeats once again and the song ends with the dark mood and a phone ringing.

10. Spoken Words: Begins with sad voice and piano then there is an interplay with female voice the mood remains throughout, sad but beauty. Nice vocal harmonies and Violin section. The song ends with telephone mailbox?

11. New World Order: This one begins with gloomy atmosphere and mocking (maybe ironic?) voice, alterned with worried voice (Mr. Baker you are just amazing!!!) then comes beautiful vocal harmonies while the music becomes tragic, this structure repeats througout. Later the song becomes dramatic and intense enhanced by rapid violins and flashy piano, this is interrupted by a brief fast guitar melody, technical and very beautiful, BRILLIANT. Then the song turns into a situation of "no escape" very well recreated. In fact the song end with someone knocking at one door and saying "Open up we know you're in there..." Fantastic.

12. Chased: This is a dynamic instrumental, a showcase of musical dexterity, pyrotechnic playing. Beautiful keyboard leads. Fast harmonies. Typical Prog-Metal stuff. Towards the end of the song the mood becomes very calmed fading out into the next song.

13. Ghost Of A Chance: Begins very calmed, with hopefully vocals and guitar/keyboard only. Later, bass and drums enters, keeping the mood but adding strength to the song. Then there is a "Rush moment" before the song becomes pure prog-metal. The song ends very calmed, just like the beginning but with breeze sound representing the winter and merging into the next song. A very hopefully song.

14. Christmas Day: Begins with brezze sound and piano then a brief beauty melody played on flute, followed by fast piano arpeggios. Then the voice enters on a hope/melancholy mood, accompanied by elegant piano playing, again beautiful catchy vocal harmonies. Then this is interrupted by angry/sad guitar solo and harmony. Later the piano and voice from the beginning appears again until the end of the song.

Verdict: Ok, we are in front of Dream Theater wannabes? Maybe, but the vocal work found here although cheesy, is Superb. The album is full of details which makes the listening more enjoyable. The singing of Mike Baker is AWESOME, he is very versatile.

Note: For my very personal tastes I dilslike the sound of the drums on this album. Just the sound not the playing which is very good.

Listen to this album without prejudices.

DEFINITIVELY A MASTERPIECE

EliasMisael | 5/5 |

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