Artist: Mystic Prophecy
Label: Massacre Records
Release: 2009
Runtime: 46:10
Rating: 5/5
Mystic Prophecy are a band devoted to the very essence of traditional heavy metal craft. They’re power metallers, but they don’t go in for prettying things up. Instead, they work elements of the finest American old-school speed/thrash metal into their sound. However you slice it, Mystic Prophecy always keep that recognizable European sound of theirs, and “Fireangel” is no exception!
“Fireangel” is the German band’s sixth studio album. Interestingly, between “Satanic Curses” (2007) and “Fireangel,” the band lost three of its five members. Only vocalist Dimitri Liapakis and guitarist Markus Pohl remain from the previous lineup. Considering the band regrouped and put out a new studio album within just two years, it’s more than obvious that the bond between Pohl and Liapakis is vital for Mystic Prophecy right now. Not only did the band rebuild itself, it also dropped a phenomenal new studio album. After a shake-up like that, you’d be right to fear that the chemistry, the stability, the band’s unified focus had been sacrificed. But it’s anything but. The new faces brought badly needed freshness and creativity.
Given the band’s predictable genre approach, that’s more than welcome. Mystic Prophecy remain one of those uncompromising Euro metal bands that keep an extremely aggressive stance, with no pompous harmonic triplets or melodic arena chants. Nope. Their winning moves are the white-hot, furious pounding of the double bass pedals, the “Testament-style” solo escapades of both guitars, and Dimitri Liapakis’s confident, powerful, authoritative yet incredibly dark, melodically explosive and clean vocals. They’ll appeal to a wide range of vocal fans, since in their worship they easily span long-forgotten legendary singers of bands à la Liege Lord on one side and Impellitteri on the other.
So how is “Fireangel” a worthy successor to “Satanic Curses” in every way? Through its incredibly well-crafted choruses, which work wonders in the listening and in uncovering the peaks of atmosphere the band hits in its songs right at the chorus points. They aren’t sugarcoated. Mystic Prophecy keep their teeth bared and snarling the whole way through, and the curtain of dark atmosphere doesn’t lift for a moment from its thick blanket over this album. Already in the opener Across The Gates Of Hell, and then on to Demons Blood, the surprise is huge, since the two songs don’t differ in quality, and We Kill You Die nails it with a chorus that’s one of the most impressive on the album. The first three tracks quickly suck you into a noble power metal whirlpool, then with Father Save Me the winds calm gently for a few minutes, but even after that the band keeps up the compact polish and compositional mastery of this album. That way they keep the listener in a constantly high-dynamic checkmate position, and when it matters most to keep the listener under their spell, they hit the gas one last time. That comes right at the end with Gods Of War, the album’s new standout anthem, woven into a catchy chorus. The guys perhaps show a touch of a soft heart in the closing Forever Betrayed, since it carries the most of that infectious Euro melodicity you’d otherwise expect more of on an album by a European band. It’s precisely this partial negation of their European power metal roots that holds the key to what makes Mystic Prophecy so interesting.
The new album “Fireangel” isn’t just proof that Mystic Prophecy survived a major lineup shuffle. It carries on the band’s tradition, power and deep know-how for delivering excellent albums. The riffs are fresh, the band’s focus on hitting its target is tight and clear, and with this album that also brings an upgrade of their own essence in an evolutionary step, even if, after six studio albums, it’s only by a millimeter. There’s nothing you can add to or take away from a production like “Fireangel” in its raw, incinerating vitality. The sound is perfect and offers extremely traditional metal sensuality for every one of you who demands an album with just the right doses of aggression, melody and drama theater, naturally backed by top-quality execution of all its basic building blocks! I’ll say it straight: “Fireangel” is one of the top contenders for album of the year 2009 in the traditional heavy metal genre!
Lineup
Roberto Dimitri Liapakis – vocals
Markus Pohl – guitar
Constantine – guitar
Connie Andreszka – bass
Stefan Dittrich – drums
Production
Dimitri Liapakis
Tracklist
1. Across The Gates Of Hell
2. Demons Crown
3. We Kill!! You Die!!
4. Father Save Me
5. To The Devil I Pray
6. Fireangel
7. Fight Back The Light
8. Death Under Control
9. Revolution Evil
10. Gods Of War
11. Forever Betrayed
