Gate Of Triumph

Thank you Concerto Moon, for proving my point and releasing an album that start with an instrumental track call To Die For (I couldn't agree more). And you know what ? it KILLS, you know why ? cause their singer can't sing in a million years. I can't bear the band especially for their singer but also for their total lack of originality. But well, here I'm amazed by the music, it's cool, heavy, technical and melodic. But I shouldn't rejoice too fast, I'm sure the next track will put me out of the dream and plunge me back into misery... (holding my breath) : and misery it is ! especially for a song called Over And Over... although the song is excellent, the vocals are awful, solos and riffs are mind blowing and simply amazing, maybe the guitar player (Norifumi Shima) "talks" a bit too much with the guitar sometimes, but he does it with style ! Wow, I can't believe it, Gate Of Triumph is also an instrumental track and kick some serious asses !!! Do I need to say more ??? (I hope not). Strangely the next one goes on, so maybe they understood that they don't need a singer, or at least they need a good one. Concerto Moon, although far from being my favorite Japanese act, is far better than Double Dealer if you ask me, which I think is a side project for Norifumi Shima. This guy can play, he's often compared to Malmsteen, but I find him 5 times more talented (compared to today's Yngwie performance I mean), although the highly technical style of playing isn't my favorite. The keyboards are really excellent, adding a good depth to the tunes and songs. The production is good and the solos and melodies are flying all over the place and I must say that I find this album a definite improvement over the last one. By shutting down the vocals, the band gained in emotion and the overall sound much better. The album finished on 2 new versions of 2 famous songs from the band : Alone In Paradise 01' and Take You To The Moon 01'. Congratulations, this album is really much better, now definitely get the vocals changed or totally shut off and Concerto Moon will enter for the contest of masterpieces records... you know what to do !