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February 9, 2010 |
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01. Seven Seas
02. Stars
03. The Last Light Of The Moon
04. Wanted Man
05. Black
06. Through The Ice And Snow
07. Black Desireé
08. Cleopatra
09. The Princess Of Saba
10. Lady In White
11. Conquistador
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Finnish power metallers OLYMPOS MONS have just released their debut album, entitled "Conquistador", and it is quite simply one of the finest power metal albums ever made. I know that's a bold statement to make, but it will only take one listen of this disc and you'll hear exactly why I believe this to be true.
The band was formed in Finland in 2002 by guitarist Jari Sundström and singer Ian E. Highhill, who then added drummer Mikko Sepponen and session keyboardist Vili Ollila (bassist Krister Lundell joined the band in December 2004, but didn't play on the album). They are all outstanding musicians, and Highhill is a wonderfully talented lyricist. Power metal can sometimes suffer from a fairly substantial 'cheese' factor - times when the bands take themselves far too seriously, or not seriously enough. I'm sure you know what bands I'm talking about here so there's no need to name names. But with "Conquistador", OLYMPOS MONS get a solid 0.0 'CF' (cheese factor) rating, as nothing even the slightest bit cheesy can be found here; only pure, epic metal!
OLYMPOS MONS' debut album is a triumph on all fronts. Even the cover art, courtesy of Janne Pitkänen (alias Toxic Angel), is simply amazing. The airbrush images are a wonderful compliment to the music found on this disc, and the logo suits the band perfectly - powerful and creative. I know this may seem like a petty thing to a lot of people, but I really like it when bands number their songs and make the titles easy to read. How many times do you find yourself listening to a new disc and a song comes on that really catches your attention, and then you look at your CD player and see that it's song 7 - so you grab the CD cover, and because the songs are not numbered, you have to count? Now, to me, when the songs are numbered and the titles are easy to read, it means the band is simply paying attention to the little things.
Now, on to the important stuff - the music...
The first track, "Seven Seas", which is also the name of the band's first demo, is the perfect song to start-off the album with its wicked chugging guitars, soaring vocals, and bagpipes. Bagpipes?? On a metal album?? Yup, and it works, adding depth to the music while also revealing to the listener that the band is not afraid to experiment and enhance the song by adding in different elements. It's brilliant, and the song is catchy as hell! "Stars" has a majestic beginning - very bold before turning into a STRATOVARIUS-like rocker. The song has a great sing-a-long chorus and the overall sound is very rich. "The Last Light Of The Moon" features a wonderful sound break with a horse, something that sounds like a man entering a cabin, a woman screaming, and then the arrival of thunder and lightning. It's mixed into the song perfectly and adds a lot to the storytelling of an already strong tune.
"Black" is currently my favorite song on the disc (well, my favorite song today anyway). What's really cool about this tune is the part where Highill goes off in a wonderfully-sustained note strongly reminiscent of Geoff Tate, and then the rest of the band take over the 'lead' vocals in the verse. It's an unexpected twist and just sounds great! The effective backing/new lead vocals aren't the 'DEF LEPPARD over the top' type background vocals - it's just the band members singing incredibly well together.
"Through The Snow And Ice" features a harpsichord-like intro that gives the song a classic power metal feel - a nice touch - while "Lady In White" has one of the coolest musical moments on the disc with its short solo break. It's part keyboard, part guitar, and all style. We're talking DREAM THEATER territory here boys and girls!! The album finishes off with "Conquistador" - an almost eleven minute blast packed with everything the band can come up with. They show their true talent without actually showing off - a grand way to finish off an extraordinary album.
This CD has everything! Great songs, great performances by amazing musicians, bagpipes, acoustic guitar, flutes, harps...yet, nothing feels contrived. All of the 'extras' build on a solid musical foundation. If the flutes weren't added, would "Lady In White" suck? Yeah, right! The flute simply helps to create a warm feeling within the song. Again, it's the little things that make all the difference here.
Singer Ian E. Highhill has the perfect power metal voice - strong, controlled, able to hit those high notes without effort, while Sundström's guitar playing is exactly what the songs call for. Sure, he can let it fly, and does at times, but throughout the whole album, you really get the feeling that he thinks the songs themselves hold the greatest importance (he's right). I know it won't be long until his name is mentioned alongside the greats in rock music, not just in the metal genre. Drummer Mikko Sepponen is a timekeeping machine - mixing it up, keeping it solid and providing a great base with which to build the songs upon. Absolute talent!
"Conquistador" was produced by Sundström and Highhill, mixed by Nino Laurenne, and mastered by Mika Jussila (NIGHTWISH, EDGUY, STRATOVARIUS), and they have all collectively done a marvelous job. The instruments sound wonderful and the separation allows everything to be heard clearly. It really is a great auditory experience for the listener.
With "Conquistador", OLYMPOS MONS show every one of the big boys out there just how power metal should be done. Damn, this is an amazing album, and whether you're a fan of power metal or not, you should add "Conquistador" to your CD collection. Congratulations to all involved on an outstanding disc!
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