Progressive Metal Reviews

“When I look back upon my life, it’s always with a sense of shame; I’ve always been the one to blame…”

Sound familiar?

Why am I quoting a line from one of the Pet Shop Boys biggest hits?

Because believe it or not, Gamma Ray does a fascinating cover of it here on their newest release “Powerplant.” Or as the liner notes reveal: “80’s pop ROCKED by Gamma Ray!

But before you scratch your head in amazement, be warned, it’s lethal!

But then again, what could anyone expect from this band?

Anyone who’s followed the career of Kai Hansen whether going back to his days as CO-founder of German metal legends Helloween, or today having just completed GR’s seventh full album knows this man would never betray his true metal roots… no matter how outlandish something may appear on the outside.

“Powerplant” is all it’s been cracked up to be. The advance word on this new disc was it was the band’s best work to date. I’ll reserve opinion on such a bold statement just yet because they’ve had so much extraordinary material over the years and I’m not that familiar with this new one at this point…

But I will say this; everything you’ve come to expect of the band is in here. Power, speed, melody, precision group choruses, classically inspired guitar work, and the underlying concept that’s been as big a part of Gamma Ray’s character as anything.

The first thing we notice here is as usual, the cover artwork is amazing. But not designed by who you might think. None other than Derek Riggs, the talent who first introduced us to those macabre images that made Iron Maiden’s ghoulish mascot Eddie, a part of every metal-head’s twisted pleasure and every little girl’s scariest nightmare, lends his creative hand to “Powerplant.”

And the results are nothing short of brilliant. Gamma Ray, its current membership now having recorded together for two straight albums—that’s saying something—is as tightly constructed and in top form here.

From the opening salvo of “Anywhere in this Galaxy,” which batters against our senses like a windswept rainstorm on a chilly dark night, there’s no turning back from whence you came. You’re stuck firmly in your grounded position as the heavy metal thunder and radiant flash bombards and electrifies your inner skeletal structure leaving you lying helplessly… in a lifeless and broken heap on the ground.

But even after it’s all over, you’ll be glad to have been subjected. Is there a weak link found anywhere “in the galaxy,” meaning the eleven tracks that constitute “Powerplant?” Not really, but that’s not to say every song here is worthy of praise. As with any album, no matter how far reaching a band’s talents are, and GR’s go as far as anyone’s, there are a few fillers that borrow a little too much from previous material and carry on inattentively… but they’ll pass.

“Short as Hell” is not one of these, to be sure, but it’s different from the rest in a sense where its got a slower, heavier feel, grinding along deviously before giving way to “It’s a Sin.” Yes, we already discussed this one but whether anyone wants to admit it or not, you’ve all heard it. But never quite like this. Should be a big time player on metal radio.

“Powerplant” ends much as it begins—cutting loose violently, cracking the sky bringing a forceful aggression that builds toward “Armageddon” and then quickly vanishing off into the darkness. A full eight plus minutes of pure metal drama sure to leave a flushed look on your face by the time it’s all over. So there we have a brief glimpse at Gamma Ray’s newest creation, “Powerplant.” The title says it all.

Released by Noise Records.

Website : http://www.noiserecords.com/

Review by Vinnie Apicella.

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Their ascent to the top of the class of German Power Metal bands was as graceful as it was swift.

Their seventh, and most revealing work, "No World Order," speaks prophetically while upholding tradition and still exploring unique ambitions to extend their reach on a scene that's long since embraced them.

As usual, Gamma Ray strives to be the BMW of Metal bands, with their high-powered, high mileage riffs, and classically inspired smooth-riding melodies, veteran leader Kai Hansen's long since developed the formula for bridging classic with current and yet another fine example in the art of speed, and syncopation, "No World Order" is quick to announce its arrival.

And let's face it, could we come to expect anything less from a band that once made The Pet Shop Boys sound intimidating?

"No World Order" embarks on a conceptually stunning journey that like many who've adopted the "us against them" ideal, tells the tale of evil intent and the forceful resistance called upon by us, the legions of followers who've seen through the darkness…

A minute long introduction lifts the curtain, speaks of freedom, and then the battle is immediate, "Dethrone Tyranny," opens with the expected double-barrel firepower, wasting no time, throw you in the fire and you're quickly dodging a hail of bullets…

For the next thirty minutes or so, covering roughly five tracks, the tempo stays consistently mid-range as we're ducking and covering styles from past and present-"The Heart Of The Unicorn," falls right out of a modern day Priest playbook, and in fact only until the trademark Gamma Ray chorus comes into play, are we even aware of the difference; "Heaven Or Hell" tears a page right out of Helloween's "I Want Out" past, Hansen's pre-Gamma Ray creation for those among the uninitiated; The title track reminds yet again of Priest, this time of the more classic vein where the opening riff draws you in and really throughout the rest of the song it's like a who's who of past greats assembled together and appearing at every conceivable angle to make for a highlight of allied Metal forces.

Considering how "No World Order" follows up on Gamma Ray's last "Blast From The Past" recollections and covers album, there's little surprise to hear such a diverse range of classic Metal styles come into play on this record-"Solid," returns to the all out Speed Metal Thrash expected to appear now and again, and "Fire Below," takes another (downward) turn, down-tuning and employing a churning riff to mark the depth only fitting of a song lyricized by the likes of "Going down to nowhere, they take you to Hell, into the fire…"

Building on the function of styles last developed on "Powerplant," "No World Order" channels itself deeper into the Metal tradition utilizing a more collaborative and aggressive
approach, seriously suggestive and marked with an eye toward an imperiled future, together rivaling and exceeding the work of their past.

Released by Noise Records.

Website : http://www.noiserecords.com/

Review by Vinnie Apicella.

Buy The CD