Lancer
Second Storm
Despotz Records
2015
Lancer’s “Second Storm” is as anyone might guess their “second” album. They are yet another “Swedish” retro-loving band, that goes for some “80s power metal” in the vein of Helloween etc…
They are fairly decent and at times their singer Isak Stenvall, manages to sound quite convincing, although his performance, could do with some more polishing and self-restraint in order not to sound a bit strained in places… also their production sounds clean and balanced but rather “empty” and treble.
In all reality while I was going through the band’s press release, I found it was quite comical how the whole angle was to try and mention who the band has worked with and their associations, to a point where, after the obvious point – it was seeming becoming a little of “a lame claim to fame”. And to say that a band that was doing support slots for relatively small bands but to also bundle that with phrases like “metal gods” and “taking the world by storm” is also a little “funny”... they weren’t exactly headlining Wacken were they? On that note, it’s not that these guys don’t “have” what it takes, but it might take a bit more than two and a half years to achieve world domination and a lot more albums.
This one has a couple of strong entries like the storming opener “Running from the Tyrant” and the very melodic “Iwo Jima” probably one of the better songs of the album.
“Masters and Crowns” is a bit more “Edguy-ish”.
“Behind the Walls” takes a page from the songbook of bands like Scanner etc., but w/o the sci-fi themes and maintains the over the top, falsetto attack.
“Aton” is a nearly ten minute song, that hardly manages to maintain interest throughout its duration. There’s a very nice section and a verse between minutes three and four, but the song, becomes quite boring and self-indulgent after that.
“Children of the Storm” is cliché as it could be, but a welcome return to a straightforward – catchy mid-tempo rocker.
“Steelbreaker” is even more cliché and is more “Keepers” worship.
“Eyes of the Liar” loses the grip somewhat, still maintaining the style and is OK. The chorus is rather impressive, but I suppose the whole song could have come out a little better.
Last on the album comes “Fools Marches On”, which is a typical and not too impressive double bass number in which also “Keeper 2” influences come unhealthily into display.
Lancer, would make a fine Helloween cover’s band, but is that all they’d like to be? Right now, they show certain promise, but… it could turn out either way.
They are fairly decent and at times their singer Isak Stenvall, manages to sound quite convincing, although his performance, could do with some more polishing and self-restraint in order not to sound a bit strained in places… also their production sounds clean and balanced but rather “empty” and treble.
In all reality while I was going through the band’s press release, I found it was quite comical how the whole angle was to try and mention who the band has worked with and their associations, to a point where, after the obvious point – it was seeming becoming a little of “a lame claim to fame”. And to say that a band that was doing support slots for relatively small bands but to also bundle that with phrases like “metal gods” and “taking the world by storm” is also a little “funny”... they weren’t exactly headlining Wacken were they? On that note, it’s not that these guys don’t “have” what it takes, but it might take a bit more than two and a half years to achieve world domination and a lot more albums.
This one has a couple of strong entries like the storming opener “Running from the Tyrant” and the very melodic “Iwo Jima” probably one of the better songs of the album.
“Masters and Crowns” is a bit more “Edguy-ish”.
“Behind the Walls” takes a page from the songbook of bands like Scanner etc., but w/o the sci-fi themes and maintains the over the top, falsetto attack.
“Aton” is a nearly ten minute song, that hardly manages to maintain interest throughout its duration. There’s a very nice section and a verse between minutes three and four, but the song, becomes quite boring and self-indulgent after that.
“Children of the Storm” is cliché as it could be, but a welcome return to a straightforward – catchy mid-tempo rocker.
“Steelbreaker” is even more cliché and is more “Keepers” worship.
“Eyes of the Liar” loses the grip somewhat, still maintaining the style and is OK. The chorus is rather impressive, but I suppose the whole song could have come out a little better.
Last on the album comes “Fools Marches On”, which is a typical and not too impressive double bass number in which also “Keeper 2” influences come unhealthily into display.
Lancer, would make a fine Helloween cover’s band, but is that all they’d like to be? Right now, they show certain promise, but… it could turn out either way.