By: AvNatten

Posted: Apr 5, 2006

The road of power metal is a heavily worn one, it is crowded with many clones and sub-par bands but every once in a while a band will rise above the rest and offer us grandiose blazing metal to sink our fangs into. Such is the case of Germany's Mystic Prophecy, gearing up this year with their fourth release which is entitled "Savage Souls" the Germans are here to take you for a bombastic ride through their soundscapes. Mystic Prophecy's brand of power metal is not the least bit typical, theirs is more in your face and uncompromising without sacrificing the melodies and overall majestic feeling you come to expect from this type of music.

A key component to their sound is vocalist R.D. Liapakis, he uses his talents to convey the lyrics to the listener using a commanding yet melodious voice. He is able to push his vocal boundaries to the brim. On some tracks such as 'Evil Empires' we even see Liapakis' vocals go into aggressive mode as he spits his lyrics out over the thundering bass and drums and rhythmic guitars. 'Savage Souls' has a wonderful chorus that will have you singing along in no time, also present on this track, and for the rest of the album for that matter is some great bass work supplied by Martin Albrecht. The rhythm section that Albrecht creates along with drummer Mathias Straub is the perfect foundation to build the songs upon. Not to mention they are one of the best bass and drum teams I have heard in power metal in a while, their playing is tight, precise, and full.

Gone is the young Greek guitar god Gus G. on this album but in his place is the guitar duo of Markus Pohl and Martin Grimm, they too are a team to be envied as they spice up each song with guitars that go from subdued to frenzied, melodic, and shredding and let's not forget the solos, and what solos they are! This disc is chock full of superb solos that will catch the attention of those who are not even guitar savvy. Pohl and Grimm also employ the use of guitar effects in their playing in a tasteful way, adding more dimension to their style. Of the eleven tracks contained on this album all but one goes for the throat, that track is the album closer 'Into The Fire'. It is a mellow ride with emotional vocals and great instrumentation and yes, you can count on great solos to be lurking within its depths.

Production wise this album is loud and clear, not a guitar note or a faint rumbling of the bass is missed. As far as the song structures go there is nothing new to be seen here, although Mystic Prophecy take the tried and true power metal methods and make them their own. The crunch that Mystic Prophecy has infused into this style of music will have you coming back for more again and again. Just listen to the track 'Nightmares Of Demons' and you will be hooked on this band as those guitars get a grip on you and hold you in your seat as Liapakis pours his multi faceted vocals directly into your soul. They have created a valiant effort for sure that will soar them through power metal skies and into the hearts of fans worldwide.

Rating: 9/10

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