EvermovingOnward |
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Shooting out the gate with reckless force and blinding speed, Onward's "Evermoving" does just that-carrying the baton of the best of Power Metal's past and never looking back, it's a sudden surge of adrenaline right from the opening moment of "The Kindness of Strangers…" not so typically titled opening track but most effective nonetheless. Featuring guitarist Toby Knapp, considered on the same level as the likes of Becker, Friedman and even Yngwie, the former Shrapnel-alum's dominance can be heard throughout this thunderous debut-and what a recording job, full blown, expansive and brilliantly layered bringing out the full potential within the music! Forged from tempered steel-Sentinel Steel, an East Coast label bore of traditionally inspired Power Metal and Thrash, Century Media wasted no time in scooping them up for a multi-album deal. And the results are striking. "Onward," track two features more of the up "scale" guitar work in the classic tradition, moving again at a quick pace, right from the doors of the dark, darting in and out with technical proficiency-it's like a trip through the past without the inferior substructures familiar with an early demo or struggling indie… pure aggression with melodic principles based mainly on a bare-boned delivery that offers nary a trace of keyboards or other outlining acoustical effects and plenty of far reaching verse/chorus compliments! Onward's main advantage, aside from tight musicianship and an out front vocalist in Michael Grant, is the fact that they've already achieved an American presence-being an American band of course, their sound is one that once knew a lasting shelf life in the states but in recent years would be unthinkable anywhere but overseas-Prediction: The German's will be amongst the first to roll out the red carpet. Onward will unquestionably lock down a position out there in no time but for now, "Evermoving" will make a lasting and deafening impact for a band that will soon become the newest "old" model for the many others to follow. This CD is released
by Century Media Records. Review by Vinnie Apicella [va85@columbia.edu]
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