Reflections

Here comes the new Stormwind, the last reviewed was a re-edition album and was, well boring. I certainly hope this one is better, but I have this Malmsteen copycat image that comes into my brain patterns when someone says or writes the word Stormwind. Before I start to lose my mind, cause I will, I want to state for the record that the album is really an excellent release (probably amongst the best in the genre since the first Malmyouknowwho albums), one I can't love for reasons that will soon become clear through my well known sarcastic remarks :). You've been warned. Well, no changes here, fully charged guitar demonstration and songwriting à la "Yngwie" (I think I really need therapy, cause I'm squealing hard each time this name is pronounced). The first track is really cool (my way of saying it kills under my own restrains), it's not original for a dime, but it's a nice hymn call War Of Troy. And thanks to Stormwind instructive lyrics, I learned that the War Of Troy lasted 10 years (John Spartame : "Put me back in the fridge !"). Well, I don't know if it's just me or anything, but sometimes I think it would be better for guys so talented and wanna-be more technical that it is humanly possible should better be guitar solo players, like Satriani and the others instead of historical storytellers. Jokes aside, the first song is really epic and really nice, good vocals and choirs on the chorus, but still smells you know who (all over the place, might I add). Well, we get another historical song, The Man Behind The Iron Mask, hell of a movie if you ask me (what ? what song ? who cares about that :) !!!). Then again Stormwind tells us what happened and when like a perfect history book (I love multipurpose Frisbees, no really I do :)). Okay, again the song is quite cool, and it goes on and on, delivering cool and some killer (I can't believe I actually said that) songs, nice melodies, impossible to duplicate boring technical solos yet still melodic sometimes and so on and so forth. Okay okay I admit that I exaggerate, for once the solos and guitar is really more melodic and no too technical. The album is probably one of the best of the genre (it really is), but the problem is that I heard it a million times and I'm sick, sick and again sick of it. If it was the first one, it would probably be called a masterpiece (and I have no problem if people actually award it that way), but no, it's the same sound, the same feeling, the same whiny vocals all over again... and still people buy it... I don't understand (but I know it's just me), but, I won't be too much of a judge here and come to a quick and painless (for you guys, cause it's painful to me :)) sentence : So, I the jury, in the power(les)s that are given to me (stop laughing will ya, you're in a court room ! ;)) declare this album to be worthy for all Malmsteen fans (Agent Smith : "If there is such a thing... it's repulsive, I feel intoxicating by it"), actually these will find this album as a pure jewel (how did I come to this...) and probably adore it. I personally can't take anymore of this, but I won't let my own disgust about that particular style intervene too much in the quoting and will only take away 10 points for, and I quote : "total lack of originality" (admit that I behaved this time). So beside my lack of admiration for the style (huhhh ?), I must admit that Malmsteen himself would probably dream right now to write such a great album these days (instead of building an invading force of flying CDs throughout the world calling for A War To End All Wars... hehehe... sorry I'm on fire today :)). Last detail, the production could be better though. So the jury's final decision for this album is: