After converting a few demos into their debut album some years back, Greeks Arkenstone return with their sophomore effort, an album that spans the heavier and darker side of the power metal genre, with tortured vocals which occasionally erupt into death metal growling. The result is something quite cool sounding and unique for this genre. In fact, when the vocals go back into their more normal, clean tone they start to really lack. The band is really at its strongest doing this crazier style.Riff-wise, the band performs a pretty simple, chunky power metal style, like something you might hear on the later solo albums from Halford or Dickinson. There is a little thrash to it, and a lot of groove. But the vocals completely steal the show when they are evoking the madness as on "Blame" or "Forevermore", which would suck without them. When the groovier riffs arrive, they do little for me, but when they are performing a faster song I usually perk up. "Majestic Tales Untold" is a little more of a melodic track with some acoustic guitars, very 80s sounding like earlier Queensryche. Two of the heavier and better tracks on the album, "World of Corruption" and the title track, are wedged away at or near the end of the album. Had the entire album consisted of this quality and perhaps less of the clean vocals throughout, you would have had a kick ass album.
As is, I can commend the band for originality. The album sounds good, though bass is very low in the mix. The crazier vocals are cool and I also like when the band does their gang shouts. They have something unique enough that, if honed to a finer edge musically, could really make ripples in the scene.
Verdict: Indifference (6.5/10)
http://www.arkenstone.gr/
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