Search - Praying Mantis, Praying Mantis (Rock) :: Nowhere to Hide

Praying Mantis - Nowhere To Hide

Fred Monster | Zwijndrecht, Holland | 06/17/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Praying Mantis is one of those bands of which I haven't been following their career, mainly because of the fact their albums haven't been very easily available in this part of the woods. So it's very hard, no it's impossible for me to compare Nowhere To Hide to their earlier work. Except for the fact that this is the same line-up as on their former album, but that's an easy one, because that's in the liner notes. To be honest I didn't know what to expect from Nowhere To Hide. And so I didn't have any idea that a band that's been around for so long and has known so many line up changes could sound so fresh and energetic. The repertoire on this album is delicious sounding Hardrock with an AOR edge where on some of the tracks it's still clearly audible they head from the NWOBHM era. Just take a listen to I Can't Stop The Fire and you'll know what I'm talking about. One by one the songs are top notch. There's only ten of them on this European release, and that's a pity because I just can't get enough of this kind of material, the more the better! Most striking are the guitar- and vocal harmonies which are first class. I haven't heard many albums with such smooth guitar and vocal work on it lately. My compliments! The solos are spectacular as well. No endless technical ego-trips (although that can have its moment as well occasionally), but just very tasteful melody-lines. Well, what more can I tell you? This is just one of my favorite albums of 2000 and very often it's harder to review a completely brilliant album than to review one that has a few minor flaws. Nowhere To Hide has surprised me in a very positive way and certainly leaves a hunger for more. So I'll think I'm going to try to get me their previous album. To start with, because I believe I have some catching up to do..."

A must-have for melodic rock fans

Edwin Baeyens | Deurne, Antwerpen Belgium | 12/08/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Praying Mantis got their claim to fame in 1981 with the NWOBHM classic "Time Tells No Lies". Always the more melodic of the bunch, things looked great for the band of brothers Chris and Tino Troy. But bad luck and bad management made them miss the boat. After transforming into "Clive Burr's Escape" and "Stratus", they disappeared from the face of the earth. Until 1990, that is, when they were joined by Paul di'Anno and Dennis Stratton (both ex-Iron Maiden) for a NWOBHM 10th Anniversary concert. Things took off from there (mainly in Japan) and they've had quite some highs and lows (and different singers!) since then. Things really started to look bright for them when singer Tony O'Hora replaced Gary Barden and "Forever in Time" was released, a powerful album mainly about loss and coping with it.And now there's "Nowhere to Hide". Released earlier this year in Japan by Pony Canyon and now by Frontiers/Now & Then, with a bonus track. After "Forever in Time" (a contender for my favourite album of all times, by any band) I didn't think their new one would be as good. Not to worry, there's no shame in not being able to reach perfection twice. But how was I to know these guys could do it? To come to the point: "Nowhere to Hide" is a brilliant album. Filled from start to finish with their trademarks: powerful melodies, huge harmony vocals, twin guitars and emotional lyrics. No filler songs in sight. Practically every song is an epic, with lots of surprises and dramatic changes of mood in each one.Again, the lyrics are wonderful and meaningful - something lacking in most of the rock scene today. Survival seems to be the main theme on this album, in more than one way, evidenced by songs like "Future of the World", "S.O.S." , "River of Hope" and the title track. Other songs are more personal:"Whenever I'm Lost" is an emotional `thank you' from Dennis Stratton to his son, and the epic bonus track "Naked" is about the baby daughter Tino Troy lost earlier this year. You can't get more emotional than that...So, if you like your music melodic, powerful and emotional, this is an album you can't get around. Nowhere to hide indeed..."