Escape Music/Sound Pollution
RAGE OF ANGELS is a bit mythical, as I find preciously little about their first three albums and double live farewell “Never Say Goodbye”. But Ex. TEN TYKETTO touring member keyboard player Ged Rylands probably knows the story as he has feature on all albums. After a ten year hiatus for family reasons after TEN Ged has returned. Apart from Ged the band consists of vocalist David Reed Watson, additional guitars are done by Martin Kronlund, bass by Michael Carlsson and drums by Pera Johansson.
The main point of the album seems to be the many guests. On the vocal side we have Matti Alfonzetti (JAGGED EDGE, IMPERA), Harry Hess (HAREM SCAREM, solo), Robert Hart (BAD COMPANY), Danny Vaughn (TYKETTO, solo), Ralph Scheepers (PRIMAL FEAR, solo). Guitars are also provided by Neil Fraser (ex. TEN), Vinny Burns (ex TEN, ex. ASIA, ULTRAVOX), and Ralph Santolla of DEICIDE, OBITUARY and ICED EARTH fame. Apart from all that opener “Dreamworld” is injected with blues by Matti Alfonzetti, as always, the chorus is great and the refrain super. Harry Hess does great in “See You Walking By” but they are both bettered by Robert Hart. “The sheer strength of the refrain of “Through It All” is seriously augmented by the chorus and this is something I really like. The next guy to fare as well is Danny Vaughn in the excellent “Spinnin´ Wheel”. There are really only two moments of doubt here. One is the short and seemingly underdeveloped instrumental “Prelude for the Gods” (vastly inferior to the guitar clash of “Requiem for the Forgotten Soldier”) and Danny Vaughn´s first spot “Over and Over”. The latter is simply more of a lackluster pop song. Otherwise this album contains mature melodic hard rock of the utmost quality, almost regardless of who is in charge at the mike.
Track List
Dreamworld
See You Walking By
Through It All
Over and Over
Prelude for the Gods
Falling
The Beating of Your Heart
Spinnin´ Wheel
Requiem for the Forgotten Soldier
We Live, We Breathe, We Die
www.escape-music.com www.gedrylands.com
