Steamhammer
2012
1. Age Of The Phoenix
2. Rockstars
3. Crimson Dawn
4. 66 Warriors
5. Back Into The Land Of Light
6. Sun In The Dark
7. Hero On Video
8. Valley Of Kingdom
9. Killer Gear
10. Rockin' Radio
11. Terra Liberty
12. Eternity
13. Space Legends
14. Power And Glory
Sometimes motivations for reviewing an album can vary. This is not an album that I was by any means looking forward to and hearing the single Hero On Video made me look forward to it even less. I had to wonder though... Could the album really be as awful as the single? That was my question going in.
Well, the short answer is no so Freedom Call fans worries by the single can at least breathe a small sigh of relief here. For the most part, Land Of The Crimson Dawn, is what one would expect out of Freedom Call. Pretty much everything here sounds like happy and over the top power metal. Not half bad for what it is, though it's not exactly my cup of tea. At least not enough to be a real standout album. It's no secret I've never been a Huge fan of the band, but they have their moments and that's about how I feel about this one. A little typical, but the overall sound is polished, has some memorable choruses, and is basically the sort of power metal this band is known for.
There is a But here though which I have to throw in and it does impact the rating a bit. This album might have gotten away with a 3.5 for a pretty solid album if not for three absolutely horrendous attempts at more rock-ish material. All of Hero On Video, Power & Glory, and Rockin radio are abysmal, goofy, and a bit much to totally forgive. These sound like the worst of poppy 80s rock and just suck so hard it makes it difficult to listen to this album without skipping tracks. Be warned.
Overall, I liked Land Of The Crimson Dawn more than I thought I would, but it certainly isn't without flaws. Fans should find enough to enjoy here as most of the songs are pretty cool, but be prepared for some that just go in strange directions. I'd actually consider buying this album for the art, lyrics, etc and replacing the CD with a trimmed down CDR.
Highlights: Age Of The Phoenix, Sun In The Dark, Crimson Dawn
Rating - 3.0/5
2. Rockstars
3. Crimson Dawn
4. 66 Warriors
5. Back Into The Land Of Light
6. Sun In The Dark
7. Hero On Video
8. Valley Of Kingdom
9. Killer Gear
10. Rockin' Radio
11. Terra Liberty
12. Eternity
13. Space Legends
14. Power And Glory
Sometimes motivations for reviewing an album can vary. This is not an album that I was by any means looking forward to and hearing the single Hero On Video made me look forward to it even less. I had to wonder though... Could the album really be as awful as the single? That was my question going in.
Well, the short answer is no so Freedom Call fans worries by the single can at least breathe a small sigh of relief here. For the most part, Land Of The Crimson Dawn, is what one would expect out of Freedom Call. Pretty much everything here sounds like happy and over the top power metal. Not half bad for what it is, though it's not exactly my cup of tea. At least not enough to be a real standout album. It's no secret I've never been a Huge fan of the band, but they have their moments and that's about how I feel about this one. A little typical, but the overall sound is polished, has some memorable choruses, and is basically the sort of power metal this band is known for.
There is a But here though which I have to throw in and it does impact the rating a bit. This album might have gotten away with a 3.5 for a pretty solid album if not for three absolutely horrendous attempts at more rock-ish material. All of Hero On Video, Power & Glory, and Rockin radio are abysmal, goofy, and a bit much to totally forgive. These sound like the worst of poppy 80s rock and just suck so hard it makes it difficult to listen to this album without skipping tracks. Be warned.
Overall, I liked Land Of The Crimson Dawn more than I thought I would, but it certainly isn't without flaws. Fans should find enough to enjoy here as most of the songs are pretty cool, but be prepared for some that just go in strange directions. I'd actually consider buying this album for the art, lyrics, etc and replacing the CD with a trimmed down CDR.
Highlights: Age Of The Phoenix, Sun In The Dark, Crimson Dawn
Rating - 3.0/5
