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Artist: Power Quest |
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To say 2009 was a difficult year for Power Metallers Power Quest would be an understatement with wholesale band changes taking place. First Steve Scott returned to his native New Zealand, then frontman Alessio Garavello announced his retirement from the world of metal, which impacted not just Power Quest but also Arthemis the other band of PQ guitarist Andrea Martongeli, who suddenly found himself in the same boat as PQ founder Steve Williams. Both needed to focus on their respective bands thus Martongeli left Power Quest, drummer Francesco Tresca soon followed suit as it didn’t make much logistical sense to form a new band from the UK and have a drummer based in Italy, so Tresca stood down from the drum stool. Now most people of less steel than Mr Williams would have called it a day but not our Steve. After the bands last performance together at Metalfest he was inundated with requests from the bands fans to keep going, so he started looking for replacements. So in came former stage manager for the band Paul Finnie (bass), then the vacant drum stool was filled by Rich Smith, the guitarist Andy Midgley was next to join. In this first incarnation a second guitarist and vocalist were chosen but things didn’t quite work out, so Williams approached one Chitral 'Chity' Somapala to fill the vacant frontman position and finally the second guitar slot was filled by Gav Owen, and so the next chapter in the Power Quest story was about to be written, with the band recording their latest album the aptly titled ‘Blood Alliance’.
Now with any band that has to restructure from the ground up you have to
take the album on its merit and not on what has gone before, and as a big
PQ fan anyway to say I’m blown with this new album would have to make it
something rather special, which it really is. Absolutely nothing against the past
members of the band but this is sonically the best Power Quest album to
date. A real triumph, not only for Steve but also for the rest of the guys,
and especially Chity who really hits the mark. The
album opens up with the massive instrumental intro ‘Battle Stations'
where Midgley and Owen are simply let loose on a shred fest, while Smith
and Finnie lay down a rapturous back-beat as Williams thrashes it out
on the keyboards. This is the bands two fingered salute to those critics
who thought the fire had gone out of the Power Quest belly. Next
it's time
for Somapala to make his mark on the proceedings as the album get's underway
proper with 'Rise Anew', a rampaging slice of Power Metal and I mean
rampaging. This is old school PQ with a big V8 driving it ever forward,
again featuring a monster twin guitar assault as Owen and Midgley light up the
fret boards on this one, while Smith delivers a marinade of double kick
drums and Finnie keeps up with some fiery bass lines, with
Williams his flamboyant best on the keys. It’s
all steam ahead with another rapid fire attack with ‘Glorious’, with
Somapala delivering a first class vocal once more. All credit to the guy
he really has a great set of pipes, but to keep up with the band that
goes at break neck speed takes a special kind of vocalist and I think
Power Quest have found the perfect frontman who can deliver on so many
fronts. This is brought to the forefront on
'Sacrifice', a more melodic metal
song that features guest vocals from Nick Workman of Eden and Vega fame.
A real touch of class and the guitar solo mid track just adds fire to
the ever glowing flames that are Owen and Midgley.
It's back
to the rampaging metal that has become the trademark PQ sound with 'Survive', another barnstormer on which Somapala shines once
more. Then it's time to bring it down a notch or two with the hard rocking
‘Better Days’, this is one of my favourite tracks off the album.
Again
big licks in abundance but it's Somapala that really makes his presence
felt as he rises above the majesty of the musicians and
really brings it home. One of the vocal highs of the entire album for me. Just as
you getting over the triumph of ‘Better Days’ the band unleash what
is my favourite track off the album 'Crunching The Numbers', as the
band take influence from the recent recession, a topic that we all can
relate too, this is where Williams fiery keyboard wizardry really shines,
while
Smith and Finnie punch out a massive massive back beat for Owen and
Midgley to bring in a Priest styled guitar duel to the table. Somapala
delivers a damn fine vocal as well to bring it all together in one tight neat
Power Quest package. I’d love to see this one feature in the bands
live set and maybe Mr Williams could dust off the old keytar for this
one? It's
power and majesty all the way with ‘Only In My Dreams', a track that
just bursts into life after Mr Williams solo intro. A song that
showcases the
true versatility of Somapala's vocals on this more Melodic Metal styled
song, and that similar melodic vein is carried on with the stirring
title track ‘Blood Alliance’. There is a new air of the
symphonic about this one, while still being steeped in that same PQ
vigour of old, I guess that’s the legacy left behind by the previous
band members, and that legacy should never be forgotten, but this is
Power Quest going in the right direction, onwards and upwards. The
speed driven melodies are still in abundance as the album continues to
impress big style with ‘City Of Life'. A real monster back beat is
pounded out by Smith and Finnie as they lay down the solid foundation
for Owen and Midgley to light up the fret boards once more, while the
two older war horses of Williams and Somapala keep it real and don’t let
the young guns have all the fun. This
version of the album comes to fiery close with the rampaging bonus track ‘Time
To Burn’, which is featured on the Japanese version of the new
album. This one will take the fans back to the likes of 'Neverworld' and the like.
It's fast, it's melodic, it's pure Power Quest. This album and new line-up will send shivers down the very spines of the fans as it has with me. This is without a doubt the bands best and most varied album to date and one that will once again show the world that Power Quest are a force to be reckoned with. I for one can't wait to see this new line-up live. THE QUEST GOES ON! |
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Tracklisting: 1. Battle Stations |
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All content copyright of The Mayfair Mall Zine unless otherwise stated. |
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