Search - Galloglass :: Heavenseeker

I HAVE FOUND HEAVEN

William Cofer Haas | Overland Park, KS USA | 03/28/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Galloglass strikes again with quality power metal. This is a great follow up to Legends From Now and Nevermore. It starts of with Burden of Grief which will please anyone with great vocals, riffs, backing vocals, everything about the song is great. Then after that it follows up with what they may be known for, a violin intro that has a guitar riff edge to it. Definitly the most melodic song on the cd. It only gets better with great choruses and solos that will make leap for joy. The best song on here may be To Kneel is to Suffer. It comes in with a drum fill and then after that, hold on to your seat and let the magic happen. Bottom line is that if your a power metal fan than don't miss out on Galloglass. Best album of 2005, BUY IT."

Not quite what i wanted

Icarus Housten | Collegeville, PA USA | 07/20/2007

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Hmm.... interesting. i was sort of expecting a more melodic/symphonic metal album, which is clearly not what i purchased. While I still respect this band as much as the next guy, i reccomend you search elswhere if you are thinking this is more of a "Light" metal album. On the contrary, if you're into speed metal with a slight symphonic touch, this is right up your alley."

We seriously have new kings of power metal if they keep this

Matt Stoessel | Tolland, CT USA | 02/04/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"too many metal bands today don't write songs with enough lyrics. They go verse / chorus / verse / chorus / solo / chorus and then they're done. Sonata Arctica is a phenominal example of an exception to the rule (how many verses does Don't Say A Word have? a bazillion?). It is in a sense, this formula that Galloglass has decided to try on this album, and that shows particularly well in the song Banished From Eternity - an epic in lyrics, but still clocking in at only 4:45: very much what Sonata is famous for doing. The other song that shows this very well is the song originally written for the demo released before Legends From Now and Nevermore (their 2003 album - also phenominal; anyone who's the kind of person who listens to power metal will get chills for some reason or another when s/he listens to Remember the Fire (track 4)) - Kings Who Die. This song is probably the closest the band has ever come to a ballad. Its emotional in a nice and new way.



Let's discuss the Sonata-like style in a bit more detail, shall we? Too many bands write songs with great ideas in mind, but don't capitalize on them. Some bands don't, example: Sonata Arctica, Thunderstone, Secret Sphere, Angra, etc. But some bands (can't really think of a whole lot now, but Twilightning, Labyrinth, Requiem, and Pagan's Mind are a few example) make the listener feel lost: what on earth are they trying to say other than what's been said before? (some might disagree with Pagan's Mind being only on that list, but I only have Celestial Entrance - not the new one.) It is this simplicity and apparent inability to "complete songs" that has, for the first time, made me turn away from a FEW of the many European metal bands. I don't know who I can and can't speak for here, but I know that what I love about European metal is the challenge involved in figuring out each of the songs. And of course, solos that correspond well to the lyrical content also makes albums particularly attractive.



Well, Galloglass does the above exceptionally well on this album. They go above and beyond by exploring writing a pure thrash metal song. Beyond the Mirror features Curran Murphy of thrash metal band Annhilator in a shred solo. Choirs are still in use and there is now even some use of an orchestra (especially in the emotional Kings Who Die, mentioned earlier).



To top it all off, every single song (with the possible exception To Kneel Is To Suffer) is done in a way I haven't heard before. From the powerful opener Burden of Grief that reminds you of a feeling where you might have said to yourself "... oh my God... I... did that???" to the furious Perished in Flames to the unusual At the Shadowcross to the history-like Signs - any fan of true good music will enjoy this album.



The only thing I wish Galloglass did was explore different speeds in their songs and take a break from the everfast bass guitar more often. (Nightwish in their Wishmaster era is a great example of great speed variation.)



again - highly recommended. This is all without even mentioning how incredible the bonus DVD is. yes, it was recorded at a small gig (maybe 1200 people), but its still very fun to watch them play. Free poster and 2 stickers, also.



most highly recommended for power metal and emotional metal (whatever specific band(s) that may be for you) bands. anyone who loves solos will also find this to be their cup of tea. you really can't go wrong with this album. This could wind up being as legendary of an album as bodom's Hatebreeder, Sonata's Silence, Stratovarius's Episode, or Nightwish's Oceanborn if the right people listen to it."