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(7/10) Hmmm. What should I say about this album? That was and still is my question after several rounds of listening to the twelve songs.
The Storyteller comes from Sweden and is playing power metal with a very melodic component. Sometimes they remind a bit to Helloween and the vocals of L-G Persson sound in certain parts even like Andy Deris. But I had to think about Saxon's Biff Byford as well. The crosslink to Saxon is not by coinsidence since The Storyteller add also some traditional heavy metal to their sound too.
The sixth album of the band from Gävle, Sweden is called "Sacred fire" and as I said in the beginning it is a hard cookie. In almost all meanings of the word.
The twelve tunes on the album are well crafted and sound powerful. We are talking about real headbanging stuff based on heavy riffs, rough but melodic vocals and a rhythm section that comes across very pushing. Sometimes the guys speed up to some doublebass parts and on the other hand the ballad takes care about the emotional moments on "Sacred fire". So, all right you might think.
But there is something that still limits my enthusiasm. It's hard to describe, but I think it is a certain kind of diversity that is missing. The songs, except the ballad, sound very similar and follow a same kind of structure. Except of the ballad it's not easy to differentiate between the different tunes on "Sacred fire". This takes out the tension and gives the album some length after a while. Maybe less would have been more in this context or a bit more courage to try out new elements would have been benefitial.
However, fans of melodic power metal should give this album a try since it has its moments and is a solid piece of metal.
(7/10)
Tracklist:
- As I die
- One last stand
- Sacred fire
- Ferryman
- Serpent eyes
- Sons of the North
- In search for treasure, stones and gold
- Coming home
- The army of Southerfell
- Curse of the seven seas
- Let your spirit fly
- God of war
Label: Black Lodge Records
Genre: Power Metal
