Last Sunrise

Ok, what do we have here ? Another new band from Italy. Another band growing the already traffic jam melodic heavy/speed metal style. Shining Fury - what a name! - was formed in 2001 by drummer Ross Lukather. After playing for many years with well-known bands such as Death SS (Heavy Demons, Do What Thou Wilt), Labyrinth (tour in support of Return To Heaven Denied) and Athena (Twilight Of Days), he found the right musicians to assemble the definitive Shining Fury line-up. Last Sunrise - strange name for a debut album - is a good release. This album would have certainly received a higher quote four or five years ago, but today I have a bad feeling about this metal style. There are too many bands out there reproducing again and again the same structures, the same melodies, the same chorus. There is no doubt Helloween invented that style, but the number of bands following this "old road" amaze me. Speedy track, a high-pitched voice ... and here we go. I would not like to point my finger only on Shining Fury because there are really good songs here, but when you find out that there has been twice as much news bands the last years compare to the last two decades, I have a "bad" feeling : this metal style might explode from himself ... As said above, these guys have recorded interesting songs : the opener Broken Hopes sees the arrival of Francesco Neretti - a talented singer from Profondo Porpora (Deep Purple cover band). This vocalist is good, has an interesting "fiber" and add something to the music. From typical heavy/speed tracks - 060501, Sleepin' Coma, Last Sunrise, Speed Of Life, - to more complex one like Snake's Game, Declaration Of A Cheat, Shining Fury does a good job. I truly believe the band spend months adding arrangements and special touches to the songs, because Last Sunrise is rich and complex. A special mention for Memories, which starts with a man and a woman talking each other about their relationship. It might wake up some souvenirs. The album end with a cover of Toto, Rosanna. Interesting cover actually ;) The production send you directly to Labyrinth or Athena. If you like these bands and buy everything out there with the Italian metal stamp, this one is definitely for you. This isn't fresh enough, nor inovative enough to be called a surprise, but on the other hand I must point out that Shining Fury released an honest album where melodies are legions and where the "speedy" metal fan will find what he is looking for. We will keep an eye on this new band ... if the traffic jam give us the time to take our breath. Last but not least, when you are a new band and try to get out of the wood, I think you need a "strong" cover-art. This isn't the case here ...