Label: Metal Heaven
Release date: 02/27/2009
Production: Herman Frank
Album length: 46:09 min
Genre: Heavy Metal
Herman Frank (ex-Accept guitarist, co-founder of bands like Victory and Moon Doc’, and producer of records for the likes of Saxon, Rose Tattoo, Molly Hatchet and Messiah’s Kiss) has finally found the will and the time to prove himself with a solo studio effort of his own.
For the studio work he rounded up some interesting helpers: drummer Stefan Schwarzmann, who’s played with U.D.O., Running Wild, Helloween and Krokus, then seasoned bassist Peter Pichl (ex-Running Wild), who currently plays with English rock legends Nectar, and on vocals, Victory and Human Fortress singer Jiotis Parachidis stepped in. And believe me, the old fox handed the parts to experienced, battle-tested names who fully understand how to rattle that old-school German steel. It’s steel from the kind of stock that delivers a proven winning formula every single moment. Not so much in the creative department, but all the more in the sheer conviction of that perfectly pulsing, primal, evergreen heavy metal riff.
“Loyal To None” is the real embodiment of the German old-school take on heavy metal. It’s an uncompromising charge straight across field and stubble, with no ballads full of sighing self-pity. A pure, direct attack with a raw, live production of roaring guitars and the riffs pushed up to the maximum in every track. The double bass drum pedal forms the basic framework on which the crushing riffs rest, and it’s all topped off by the melodic, powerful, up-front vocals of Jiotis Parachidis, whose slightly guttural edge can recall Mike Tirelli of Messiah’s Kiss. The style of the songwriting, and the sound production in general, should win over fans of that band too, but overall, an album like “Loyal To None” ought to appeal to every fan of the old German school, from Accept to Sinner and U.D.O.
Herman Frank, of course, masterfully seasons all the instrumental middle sections with witty solo flourishes, and with similar ornamental engraving he shamelessly touches many of the intros, outros and transitions too, which lifts the dynamics of the songs. The power and prominence of the crushing riff stand out especially in mid-tempo tracks like the dramatic Heal Me or Kill The King.
In terms of musical exploration or creativity, “Loyal To None” brings absolutely nothing new or special. Its arrival will delight above all fans of Teutonic metal, who, in the primal magic of pure-blooded German heavy metal, don’t kneel for a single moment of its running time.
author: Aleš Podbrežnik
rating: 8.5 / 10
Tracklist:
1. Moon II
2. 7 Stars
3. Father Buries Son
4. Heal Me
5. Hero
6. Kill The King
7. Down To The Valley
8. Lord Tonight
9. Bastard Legions
10. Welcome To Hell
Lineup:
Jiotis Parachidis – vocals
Herman Frank – guitar
Peter Pichl – bass guitar
Stefan Schwarzmann – drums
