Sunday, February 8, 2009

MIRADOR - THE AZRAEL TALES / 2005
















THIS ALBUM CONTAIN(10-TRACKS)
1-REDEEMER
2-PHOENIX SYMDROME
3-NO LOSS CUT
4-POSTBELIEVERS
5-PERFECT PLAN
6-SOUL DISTORTION
7-THE TRIAL
8-THIEF
9-NEW DAYS
10-METROPOLIS METAMORPHOSIS
CREDITS:line up:
Jakob Forsberg – Vocals & Keyboards
Erick Mjornell – Guitars & Bass
Olaf Gardestrands - Drums
The new Swedish band called MIRADOR and their debut album named The Azrael Tales shows wonderful and great epic heavy metal with strong Scandinavian roots. You can hear musical elements from bands like CANDLEMASS, QUEENSRYCHE & BLACK SABBATH. The production is great and it creates a mysterious and adventures atmosphere for the listener. Jakob Forsberg´s voice is working perfect together with Erik Mjörnell´s heavy guitars mixed with great choir arrangements. The Azrael Tales is one of the great jewels we will found during 2005 when we are looking for great new metal music. The ability of a band to add that little intangible to it's sound is what is so difficult in power metal. Almost all power metal bands are going to have their influences but it's the little extra that a band gives to the sound to make it their own. Mirador does it on quite a few songs here. The first song has an almost goth like sound ala the stupid Marilyn Manson. Luckily they branch out from there and actually remind me of Mindcrime era Queensryche mixed with Veni Domine's technical power/doom mix and Beyond Twilight's power/prog mix. I gave it four stars as it feels a little uneven. They have some great songs with great lyrics that show great intelligence and thinking. A couple of the songs though just felt like filler as if they weren't sure quite where to go musically with them. I won't list them though, let the listener decide. Overall, Christian Rivel of Narnia and Divinefire signs another high quality band. I hope more people discover his label and will try his great finds. The production on this album is very good. All the instruments, as well as the added little nuances here and there are all heard clearly. I must also make mention of the lyrics which are poetic and obviously written from a Christian, spiritual viewpoint. I am not sure that this band would label themselves as a "Christian band" but their lyrics lead me to believe that at least the songwriter has a fascination with Biblical themes(http://www.holymetalrob.com/)