ShadowQuest
Armoured IV Pain
Garelock Records
2015
Shadowquest is a gathering of various Scandinavian musicians, from various power metal bands, that formed just in 2013 and is releasing their independent debut, just a couple years later.
Patrik “Pata” Johansson from Bloodbound and Dawn of Silence is a great choice of a vocalist, as his credentials are quite serious and he has displayed quite a diversity in the past through the releases he has sung on. There are two guitarists, Peter Huss from Shining and Apostasy, who’s also played with Sinergy live and Ragnar Widerberg from Witherscape, both quite capable, even if they would seem a little bit as a weird choice, but they do work well and provide several good riffs and solos. Jari Kainulainen on bass is known from Stratovarius and I think he might be currently installed in Masterplan but he’s also been in and out of a number of other projects through the years. And last but not least Kaspar Dahlqvist the keyboardist and Ronny Milianowicz on drums both formerly from Dionysus and with a per chant for having taken part in several worthwhile bands like Illium and St Daimon for instance are completing the line-up
The album is a rather typical melodic power metal affair, executed, very well, but lacking a little on the songwriting, which is rather predictable. It feels like a huge amalgam of all the bands these guys have played in the past, but not able to reach the dizzying heights of success that any of those bands had in the past.
“Blood of the Pure” has a very Maidenesque bass, at times while it is pretty typical Bloodbound meets Edguy, in a dark corner material, with Johannson, sounding like a weird cross between Dickinson and Deris, which is quite intriguing.
“Last Farewell” is very Edguy in nature, a melodic mid tempo, with a couple of crescendos, that Tobi, could almost sue, over, after he sues himself for copying all his favorite bands! Helloween meets Bruce Dickinson!
“All One” proves, Johansson’s ability to channel the Priest, in a fantastic speed metal song, that Halford, would have been quite happy with, only a little more “Europower” oriented in the chorus.
“Live Again” has these opening lead keyboard lines that go over guitars that are very much a Stratovarius trademark, even Johannson, seems to mimic Koti, in intonating the last phrase of each line, who is in turn trying to mimic, Dickinson, without the rasp and the “throaty” masculine tone. Johansson, sounds like a mix between the two, as he's raspier than Kotipelto, oh, as soon as the chorus hits, if the song sounded like Stratovarius, it then literally becomes, vintage Strato.
“Midnight Sun” has a nice chorus and had me curious, if I could find an analogy, something like early Edguy meets the pomp of Avantasia, came to mind and it’s not a million miles away from the truth.
“Reach Beyond the Dream” opens with this riff that could have belonged to early Strato or mid-era, Rhapsody before going into a typical Helloweenesque refrain. Nice solo there towards the end, but I just dunno.
“We Bring Power” boasts a nasty, heavy (for the genre) riff and PJ, is once again opting for a screamy delivery, occasionally switching to “more melodic” vocals… it’s quite dramatic in nature and not bad at all.
“Insatiable Soul” is a little weird, as it begins with an acapella choir, to proceed based on a nice short and repetitive riff, somewhat reminiscent of Edguy overall, and their “Symponic” style of previous albums.
“Take This Life” is quite different, heavier and more psychotic, with an abiding sense of urgency, but still not abandoning the power metal form, that keeps it, from becoming too dark, at the same time. Another dramatic, tune.
“Where Memories Grow” is an expected balladesque, conclusion, that goes through light and shadows, and has a more celebratory chorus and serves as a fitting conclusion to the album. Again something between the more dramatic moments of Edguy and Helloween, could fit as an apt description.
Last but not least a slightly more melodic and lower/screamy cover of Judas Priest “Freewheel Burning”, is welcome, but certainly not some sort of highlight!
Without being bad, Shadowquest, carry too many influences that they haven’t assimilated completely into a style of their own. They are very capable and they seem able to write good songs in the power metal genre, but assuming a more personal identity would be equally as important as anything else. A fairly enjoyable, but not very original album, that should please genre fans, but will not rock your world, unless you’re a die hard, old school power-metaller.
Patrik “Pata” Johansson from Bloodbound and Dawn of Silence is a great choice of a vocalist, as his credentials are quite serious and he has displayed quite a diversity in the past through the releases he has sung on. There are two guitarists, Peter Huss from Shining and Apostasy, who’s also played with Sinergy live and Ragnar Widerberg from Witherscape, both quite capable, even if they would seem a little bit as a weird choice, but they do work well and provide several good riffs and solos. Jari Kainulainen on bass is known from Stratovarius and I think he might be currently installed in Masterplan but he’s also been in and out of a number of other projects through the years. And last but not least Kaspar Dahlqvist the keyboardist and Ronny Milianowicz on drums both formerly from Dionysus and with a per chant for having taken part in several worthwhile bands like Illium and St Daimon for instance are completing the line-up
The album is a rather typical melodic power metal affair, executed, very well, but lacking a little on the songwriting, which is rather predictable. It feels like a huge amalgam of all the bands these guys have played in the past, but not able to reach the dizzying heights of success that any of those bands had in the past.
“Blood of the Pure” has a very Maidenesque bass, at times while it is pretty typical Bloodbound meets Edguy, in a dark corner material, with Johannson, sounding like a weird cross between Dickinson and Deris, which is quite intriguing.
“Last Farewell” is very Edguy in nature, a melodic mid tempo, with a couple of crescendos, that Tobi, could almost sue, over, after he sues himself for copying all his favorite bands! Helloween meets Bruce Dickinson!
“All One” proves, Johansson’s ability to channel the Priest, in a fantastic speed metal song, that Halford, would have been quite happy with, only a little more “Europower” oriented in the chorus.
“Live Again” has these opening lead keyboard lines that go over guitars that are very much a Stratovarius trademark, even Johannson, seems to mimic Koti, in intonating the last phrase of each line, who is in turn trying to mimic, Dickinson, without the rasp and the “throaty” masculine tone. Johansson, sounds like a mix between the two, as he's raspier than Kotipelto, oh, as soon as the chorus hits, if the song sounded like Stratovarius, it then literally becomes, vintage Strato.
“Midnight Sun” has a nice chorus and had me curious, if I could find an analogy, something like early Edguy meets the pomp of Avantasia, came to mind and it’s not a million miles away from the truth.
“Reach Beyond the Dream” opens with this riff that could have belonged to early Strato or mid-era, Rhapsody before going into a typical Helloweenesque refrain. Nice solo there towards the end, but I just dunno.
“We Bring Power” boasts a nasty, heavy (for the genre) riff and PJ, is once again opting for a screamy delivery, occasionally switching to “more melodic” vocals… it’s quite dramatic in nature and not bad at all.
“Insatiable Soul” is a little weird, as it begins with an acapella choir, to proceed based on a nice short and repetitive riff, somewhat reminiscent of Edguy overall, and their “Symponic” style of previous albums.
“Take This Life” is quite different, heavier and more psychotic, with an abiding sense of urgency, but still not abandoning the power metal form, that keeps it, from becoming too dark, at the same time. Another dramatic, tune.
“Where Memories Grow” is an expected balladesque, conclusion, that goes through light and shadows, and has a more celebratory chorus and serves as a fitting conclusion to the album. Again something between the more dramatic moments of Edguy and Helloween, could fit as an apt description.
Last but not least a slightly more melodic and lower/screamy cover of Judas Priest “Freewheel Burning”, is welcome, but certainly not some sort of highlight!
Without being bad, Shadowquest, carry too many influences that they haven’t assimilated completely into a style of their own. They are very capable and they seem able to write good songs in the power metal genre, but assuming a more personal identity would be equally as important as anything else. A fairly enjoyable, but not very original album, that should please genre fans, but will not rock your world, unless you’re a die hard, old school power-metaller.