STARBREAKER
When it comes to Melodic Metal, I am very picky. Metal in general
usually can’t be described as “melodic” because then it usually lacks
what makes it Metal in the first place, it would just be Hard Rock or
Contemporary Rock. I put this CD in my player before reading any liner
notes or press releases and I instantly knew it was Tony Harnell of TNT
singing. That, I decided, is what made it qualify as Melodic Metal in
the first place. The first track, “Die For You” is good, but it’s
rather sterile, it sounds very safe, but “Lies” which follows it is a
very energetic song, to be honest it probably would have been a better
pick for the album opener. Personally, I am a big fan of the backing
keyboard work on “Days of Confusion,” which also features some very
well placed pinch harmonics. “Light At The End of The World” is another
awesome track, it actually kind of reminds me of EVERGREY on
The Inner Circle,
actually. The album closes with a track called “Save Yourself” but I
have to tell you, the second to last track, “Dragonfly” is where it’s
at. “Dragonfly” is an awesome instrumental track, and the bass playing
on it is spectacular, as is the guitar playing. Imagine Steve Harris
(IRON MAIDEN) on crack meets YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, with some jazz influence
thrown in the mix, nuts right? This album was a lot better than I had
expected, as anytime I hear anything is in a genre with the word
“melodic” I laugh immediately, but STARBREAKER turns out to have a
really good debut with
this debut album.
