Originally posted in Valkyrian Music.
A little less than four months after the release of volume 1, volume 2 came and conquered.
The overall sound is thicker, the beats more straight-forward and the guitars fuller – as “Here To Die” and “Let This Go” best illustrate. Jason Hook and Zoltan Bathory let their fingers dance more loosely throughout this album, without getting overzealous about elaborate patterns, which I’m personally thankful for – guitar virtuosos have become such a cliché that they’re just too boring.
The ballads are also more enthralling, deeper. Starting with “Battle Born”, which made it to single. The life on the road is always a delicate subject that both artists and fans fall for. And when it’s put in such a heartfelt way, lyrical and musical wise, like “Battle Born” is, then it’s a guaranteed hit.
Then, preceded by a somewhat melancholic instrumental piece called ”The Agony Of Regret”, there’s a more sophisticated version of “Cold” – a dark song originally by Black Blood Orchestra, which is a project of Ivan Moody and therefore I don’t think it’s accurate to say this is a cover. 5FDP revamped it with a piano and alternative lyrics and the outcome is emotionally stunning.
The real cover, also a smooth tune, comes in the form of “House Of The Rising Sun”, that traditional folk song that The Animals made famous in 1964 and so many bands have covered ever since. But it seems that this was the first song that Zoltan learned how to play on the guitar, so the number of previous versions didn’t mean a thing. Replacing “New Orleans” by “Sin City”, Ivan sings with his deepest tone and that alone makes it all worth it.
Also regarding the vocal performance, I must call your attention to “Cradle To The Grave”, where the insertion of a harsher second voice in some key-verses boosts the power of an already strong track.
Volume 1 may sound catchier and have all those guests embellishing its work, but volume 2 deserves nothing less than the same 5-star stamp.
Label: Prospect Park /Eleven Seven Music
Producer: Kevin Churko
Tracklist:
- Here To Die
- Weight Beneath My Sin
- Wrecking Ball
- Battle Born
- Cradle To The Grave
- Matter Of Time
- The Agony Of Regret
- Cold
- Let This Go
- My Heart Lied
- A Day In My Life
- House Of The Rising Sun
Deluxe edition includes one live dvd.
Front Row Forever 