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[ KEY REVIEWS | SHORT REVIEWS | DETAILED REVIEWS
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 Oracle 2:10 Images of the Innocent 5:38 Mythology 4:25 Jackal 9:17 Temple of Ice 4:22 Raven To Raven 2:42 Sorcerer's Sight 4:02 Elements 4:20 Light 3:43 Blood lust & Sonata C Dur 5:35 (Sorry, there is too little information in the "booklet" of Real promo CD.) If I consider Black Sabbath the true Fathers of Progressive Metal, then King Diamond is in my view the best contemporary Prog-Metal band. Really, I am completely sure that I am the only progressive reviewer who not only appreciates these bands' creation, but also writes about them and mentions them in many reviews as the best examples of the genre. I also write about many other truly progressive bands that play very heavy yet very intellectual Metal. These are Skyclad, Watchtower, Iced Earth, et al. So I have always wondered (I still do) why all the other "traditional" prog-reviewers are not open-minded enough to see the Progressive Metal movement more widely instead of listing practically all the same performers of the genre in their materials. (But maybe they're just somewhat deaf or their ears so differ from mine?). And I've noticed that most of the bands they list are just Neo Prog-Metal bands (Symphony X, Rhapsody, Royal Hunt, etc, etc) and there are not too many of serious bands of the genre (Dream Theater, Fates Warning, Pain Of Salvation, to name just a few) in the field of visions of the prog-reviewers, and thus, of our readers. Well, now I am happy to present you another very interesting Russian Prog-Metal band Specter (from Moscow) and their debut album released by the first Russian Real Prog-Metal label "Valiant Music" (whose web-site is beautifully designed, by the way ). Despite Specter's music is obviously influenced by King Diamond you won't hear any poor imitation listening to it. All the band members work at quite a serious level of mastery (already on the debut album!) and there's quite a bunch of original ideas on "Specter-I" too so that the album as a whole would be highly appreciated by any true Prog-Metal fan. Also, the voice of the band's lead singer is very different from Diamond's (though, his vocal qualities aren't so great as King's). What can I add here? I love King Diamond and I will always love any of his true followers, and Specter is one of them. VM. April 16, 2001 |
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