Review by Richard Henry for MPM
How is this album number 10 already, led by of course Mr. Gus G, shredder extraordinaire, these guys have been on the go in one form or another since the first release back in 2002, 22 years as a band! Well, here we go, you know what you’re in for if you have heard these guys before, let’s dig in!
Track 1 – Salvation Day
Sort of pulsing synth line then the guitars crash in, lovely harmony part along with the driving riff, tasty first solo from Gus, wasn’t expecting it to dive out into piano and bass for the verse part, Herbie has a lovely gravely grit to his vocal in the lower range as well, you can really hear that on the verse before rising up, reminds me of Ronnie Atkins in parts, the production is majestic as well, great chorus, real sing along fist in the air part, I like the variation in verse two with the melody guitar part coming in before into that huge chorus again, back into the intro before the solo starts off with a harmony part before the sweeping and tapping starts and then some nice picked runs, always a sense of melody at tall times as flashy as it gets, then back into the chorus, lovely way to kick off the album!
Track 2 – Stand United
Now straight away that riff reminds me of early Vicious Rumors or early Savatage, love it, nice driving aggressive double bass drumming and then into a solo, very Arch Enemy actually, the way that’s set up, the verse has a really hard riff there and the changing time signatures as well, really well written into an absolutely brilliant chorus with the little melody line behind the vocal, lovely aggressive guitar tone from the Blackstar Amps, that middle section is a really heavy riff, before the shred starts, nice open string lick and then some fast picking but then always a melody part to keep it all grounded, that chorus through!
Track 3 – Destiny is Calling
Lovely riff to start that, again first impressions for me is Children of Bodom if it had a keyboard following the riff, the grit in the vocal totally takes it away from the power metal normal singer and it really helps the song as well, great chorus again but having that bit of rasp or aggression really makes it stand out, little speed lick before the second verse, now that’s a lick that’s going to take a bit of working out at the start of that solo, Gus properly flexing on this one, fast picking, diminished runs, it’s all there wrapped up in a punch to the ribs solo, then into that chorus again before a bit more shredding on the outro solo!
Track 4 – The Power Lies Within
Guitars a bit more subdued with a driving bass line then it kicks in with a slow ominous pace, great riff and a melody solo over the start of it, very Accept sort of sound, even with the vocal I am thinking as well, absolute headbanger this one, builds in intensity and vocally into another great singalong chorus part like every song so far has done, I like the placement of the song as well, really splits up the album in terms of tempo, really nice solo as expected, pentatonic licks, arpeggios, harmony lines, lovely, great track!
Track 5 – Come Undone
Synth intro to this one, then bang comes in the double bass and the harmony guitars over a nice driving riff and the synth line, very cool, before it breaks down into a pedal point riff, that’s a really grinding verse, I love the buildup on the pre chorus, yet again that chorus is just epic, every one so far on the album has been the same, really well written in terms of the way it shifts through riffs and time without losing any of the momentum, ah yes there we go, the picking on that first run before we hit diminished land and then pedal points, very Yngwie in points on this solo, which is no bad thing for me, but just listen to the way the solo turns into a melody as the chorus enters in again, very easy to miss but a great touch to lead back in again, excellent!
Track 6 – Fallen Angel
It’s like an 8-bit arcade game, that’s how that intro sounded to me, I loved it, almost like a punkish verse riff just driving along, but don’t bore us, get to the chorus, yet another absolutely banging chorus and that riff right after is just class, heavy breakdown before kicking into the verse again, again the intro kicks in after the second chorus, it’s so cool, then into the solo, the licks are all there, we know he can shred but it’s the fact he doesn’t and intersperses it with melody, that’s what stands out, best chorus on the album so far!
Track 7 – Chains
Why does that remind me AC/DC, I mean it doesn’t as in its too busy but there is something about it, that verse riff is pure George Lynch Dokken era, the keys are a bit more prominent in the verse on this one, then it slows to half time in the pre chorus, before we hit the chorus, again its very 80s sounding this one, i love the solo, establish the melody a few times and its stuck in your head before changing the riff and a flurry of notes start, nicely done, before we have a breakdown then back into the chorus again!
Track 8 – Land of Chaos
Then the heft comes back again with this one, nice staggered double bass part following the riff, at this point I must say, drummer Johan is a beast, just driving solid and with Petros on bass it’s an airtight rhythm section, I love the shifts in intensity and the way we shift tempo from the verse into the chorus, which will absolutely stick in your head, like everyone, yeah that middle riff is pure Pantera sludge, I love it, then simply changes gears into the solo, which again it’s all there, Gus is a guitar hero and he shines on every track, love this one, a really heavy track that’s packed with melody, great song!
Track 9 – Talking in your Sleep
Yeah, it is that song you are thinking it is, by the 80s group “The Romantics”, I mean it’s a lot heavier to be fair, it’s interesting that’s for sure, I sort of like it, but I think I would either of had it as the last track on the album or as a bonus track more than where it is placed on the album? Still, you know what it’s a decent cover and they have done enough to it to make it their own!
Track 10 – Days of Grace
Clean guitar to start this one, first time so far, again you get to hear the depth of Herbies vocals when it’s backed down like this, I like the change into the pre-chorus, where it shifts the song slightly, before it picks up into the chorus and starts to drive along a bit more, then breaks after the chorus to a really nice bluesy guitar tone for the little solo before the second verse, again its well written, the break before the solo giving it a chance to come in and then the first part is pure melody before we get a bit more arpeggios and faster scale runs, but still doesn’t lose the melodic feel, then back into that driving chorus, another belter of a track!
9 out of 10
A great slab of an album, just full of hooks and massive choruses, great well written songs and a load of fiery lead playing on top for good measure, I have to say as a guitarist writing this, it’s the songs I come away with, the playing is great and I knew it would be, but the songs are solid, not sure about the cover song but go buy the album, you won’t be disappointed!
Stand United track listing:
01. Salvation Day
02. Stand United
03. Destiny is Calling
04. The Power Lies Within
05. Come Undone
06. Fallen Angel
07. Chains
08. Land of Chaos
09. Talking in Your Sleep
10. Days of Grace
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