Title: City Of Heroes

One the most anticipated releases of 2015 has to be the second Kiske/Somerville album ‘City Of Heroes’, some 5 years since the debut and the pair are back, and handling the musical side of things comes Matt Sinner on bass, Magnus Karlsson on guitars and keyboards, and on drums Veronika Lukesova.

With Sinner and Karlsson handling most of the songwriting (with a song contribution 'Breaking Neptune' from Sander Gommans formerly of After Forever and Amanda Somerville herself). Those of you familiar with the fires few Allen/Lande albums will know what Karlsson brings the songwriting table and with Sinner not only involved in the songwriting and the band, but he also returns to produce the album as well, as he did with the debut.  So now you know what everyone has brought to the table, the big question is has the five year wait been worth it?

You bet it has!  As a lover of the debut I was really looking forward to hearing the new album and instantly I was impressed.  The whole Kiske/Somerville package has been taken to the next level with this new album.

Things get underway with the excellent (I’ll be saying this a lot!) ‘City Of Heroes’, those familiar with the video on YouTube will know what a excellent (I told you so!) track this is and really sets the mood for the rest of the album.  The vocals of Kiske and Somerville just unite in perfect Melodic Metal harmony, if you're not hooked from this opening barrage, then just wait until track two, which is the next single ‘Walk On Water’, with orchestrations of Karlsson and his guitar work leading the way for Kiske and Somerville.  This is a real classy track that will appeal fans of both singers, as they once again display a pairing that hasn’t been as magical since Peanut Butter and Jam (that’s jelly to are American friends).

The towering Melodic Metal ventures into the Symphonic with the stunning ‘Salvation’, then the album returns to the more Melodic side of things with one of my favourites tracks off the album, the amazing anthemic  ‘Lights Out’, for me Somerville’s angelic tones interwoven with Kiske’s typical hard rock stylings make this one stand out from the pack.

The glorious Melodic Metal continues with the massive guitar ridden ‘Breaking Neptune’, a song contributed by Sander Gommans formerly of After Forever and Amanda Somerville herself, then the tempo is brought down massively with the superb ‘Ocean Of Tears’, although the tempo has greatly reduced the quality is still at its peak with this excellent ballad, again both vocalist are at their very best.  This is one of the best Metal Ballads you’ll hear all year.

The tempo is picked back up once more with the fantastic ‘Open Your Eyes’.  This one is another of the many many favourites of mine, a real classy song from a very classy album, the rampaging guitars of Karlsson get the next slab of Melodic Metal underway ‘Last Goodbye’, before the haunting tones of ‘After The Night Is Over’.

‘Run With A Dream’ is pure rampaging Melodic Metal at its finest, a real sing-along track that will be with you for days.  The album comes to a close with another corker ‘Right Now’, which encapsulates all that has gone before and wraps up the album in true style.

If like me you thought the debut was a classy affair then this album will just blow your mind.  As pairings go this has to be Frontiers finest.  Let's just hope we don’t have to wait another five years for album number three!

Review by: Barry McMinn

Tracklisting:

1. City Of Heroes  
2. Walk On Water 
3. Rising Up 
4. Salvation 
5. Lights Out 
6. Breaking Neptune 
7. Ocean Of Tears
8. Open Your Eyes 
9. Last Goodbye 
10. After The Night Is Over 
11. Run With A Dream
12. Right Now

Bonus DVD:
City of Heroes (videoclip)
Walk On Water (videoclip)
Documentary 'Making Of The Album'

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