Author: Aleš Podbrežnik
Artist: Iron Savior
Label: Noise Records
Release: 2002
Rating: 4/5
Finally, something’s moved. After two mediocre follow-ups to the successful debut, the one that led to what started out as a mere “Iron Savior” project growing into an actual band of the same name in 1997, came “Condition Red”, easily the best release so far from the German power metallers based in Hamburg.
Piet Sielck, who’s now also busy with Savage Circus (with a snarky footnote: a “Blind Guardian tribute band”), if I may be a little wry, the Noah of a whole generation of German bands like Helloween, Gamma Ray, Blind Guardian, the unstoppable man of steel, put everything on the line this time, since Kai Hansen (ex-Helloween, Gamma Ray) left Iron Savior while the album was being made! But apparently it actually helped, because the riffs sound fresh again and the new album has more variety and dynamics than its predecessor “Dark Assault”.The band has clearly taken a deep, lungful breath.
Of course, though, ahem, ahem. Through all this, Iron Savior remain an interesting crossbreed between Gamma Ray and Blind Guardian (somewhere between the “Tales From The Twilight World” and “Imaginations From The Other Side” eras). How could they not. Piet produced records for the “blind guardians,” contributed backing vocals, and with Kai Hansen he laid the cornerstone for Helloween as early as 1977 with the band Gentry. Why didn’t Piet stay with Helloween? Supposedly he threw his guitar in the corner for a while because of his studies in the US. Well, I’ll be damned, right then Helloween made it. I’m gossiping about this because Iron Savior are a fairly young band and some of you might inadvertently dub them thieves of what the bands listed above do, bands Piet himself breathed life into and helped through the birth pangs of what’s now a successful musical career (I’m mainly thinking of Blind Guardian). So the backing vocals recall Blind Guardian one moment, Gamma Ray the next, and so do the triple guitar harmonies.
Back to “Condition Red”. It’s a concept album that takes us back to the time before, and the very moment of, the creation of a robot controlled by a human brain, called “Iron Savior”. It was built by the people of the planet Atlantis to protect them from looming catastrophes. In short, sci-fi. The song “Condition Red” is, alongside “Ironbound” or “Thunderbird”, without a doubt one of the best-constructed songs on the new record. You won’t find a single ballad. The choruses are all melancholic, and the live production of cranked-up guitars that know how to drop a riff (“Warrior” or “Mindfeeder”, which, judging by the way the verse lines are set up, pulls into the chorus like some Primal Fear basher) lifts the atmosphere even higher. Then there are old tomcat Piet’s tricks, where the riff cuts out and Piet sings over the rhythm line (“Walls Of Fire”). On top of everything being played with balls, Piet delivers his angriest vocals yet. “Condition Red” is undoubtedly the best-sung Iron Savior record so far. A distinctive, sharp voice that keeps all its power no matter what section Piet finds himself in. No room here for the “crying” of the Hammerfall or Stratovarious type (apologies in advance to the fans for borrowing the comparison to those bands).
This is power metal that sends shivers down your body through the headphones from the first second! A must for anyone who puts any stock in classic German heavy metal from the Hamburg brotherhood. Keep it up, boys!
Lineup
Piet Sielck – guitar, vocals
Joachim “Piesel” Küstner – guitar
Andreas Kück – keyboards, backing vocals
Jan-S. Eckert – bass guitar, backing vocals
Thomas Nack – drums, percussion
Production
Piet Sielck
Track list
1. Titans Of Our Time
2. Protector
3. Ironbound
4. Condition Red
5. Warrior
6. Mindfeeder
7. Walls Of Fire
8. Tales Of The Bold
9. No Heroes
10. Paradies
11. Thunderbird
