| Apr. 18th, 2004 @ 04:57 pm Phoenix Reign - Demo (N/A - 2003) |
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Written by Snxke on December 26th, 2003
Phoenix Reign (formerly known as Phoenix when I first encountered them) happen to be one of the many New York city power metal bands popping up though the morass of crappy metal-core that seems to be currently overrunning the scene. The first two demos I received were exuberant but not exactly complete. The first demo featuring an old singer was quite, well, and crappy and the second featuring new vocalist Terri showed a lot of potential but suffered from a poor mix and a timid performance. Still, thankfully the band soldiered on and continued to attack on the live front as well as preparing for a third assault that does much to fix the material presented on the first two demos in terms of performance and production! The songs, this time around come across with a solid and crisp mix of guitars and vocals as well as decent packaging that will do a lot to help the band be taken seriously in comparison to the earlier CD-r presentations.
All of this history aside though, the band has some solid songs, and the songs are the most important part of this aren’t they? Since the demo is comparatively short I’ll make a point to address each and every song on its own merit…
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1. Another Night Alone
This song is the best song on the demo without a doubt, the nimble-fingered riffery and strong vocals carry this song to a memorable spot that can keep playing in the mind long after putting the demo away. The solos, the riffs and the vocal melodies are all perfectly solid and make this the standout track on the CD. This is thoroughly enjoyable music in the style of Iron Maiden’s early recorded material. Killer’s with a female singer? I think this is a fair comparison, as Paul Di’Anno’s vocals would have made this a lost track off of the first two Iron Maiden records.
2. Power
This song is a tad bit slower in many ways, and does not stand out as much as it’s predecessor. It’s not a bad song, as the vocals carry it in many ways but it’s hardly the exciting blast of the opener and allows the CD to breathe a little. Overall, it’s not a poor song but I would have preferred the epic Constantinople to this song as an inclusion, though somehow that great track was left off the final demo. Oh well though, as the lead guitar work and vocal melodies on this towards the middle more than justify this songs existence.
3. Shredder
This song is another in the vein of Another Night Alone and it is equally as exciting. The vocal mix could used a little more chorus but overall the song has catchy melodies, pumping guitars and a solid beat to get behind. I think this song, buffering the excellence of Another Night Alone makes this demo extremely strong. I can’t figure out what the lyrics mean for the life of me still, though they seem to follow a stronger pattern than the original, but it matters little – the Iron Maiden styled riffs are full of piss and vinegar and the song simply rocks. This song marks a massive improvement to the version presented on the last demo.
4. One More Rendezvous
The title may seem a little silly but the song is the slowest and most pensive on the CD. This is not a bad song at all, but rings more like a semi-ballad than an intense metal number. I can’t complain about the softer nature of the song, but some might not be able to relate to this side of the band after hearing Another Night Alone – though this should be given a fair chance. The lead-work and the melodies ring like a sad love song in many ways.
- - -
This demo was an extremely large step for Phoenix Reign and should be given a chance by all fans of traditional metal and Iron Maiden styled metal. I am a little disappointed in that the song Constantinople wasn’t included but hey, maybe next time! Rumor has it that they are an excellent live band and that continues to make an impact in the New York club circuit. The only critique would be that they need someone with more skill at mixing vocals, but that is a minor complaint compared to the quality of the material contained within.
I give this release a solid “B” since the metal songs crunch and the ballads avoid being total cheese in a power-ballad sort of way. For the two songs I love, and the two I merely like I find nothing to worry about in the future with this band. Check them out if you can at http://www.phoenixreign.com. You won’t regret the decision…
http://www.phoenixreign.com |
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