Label: Noise Records
Release date: 02.06.2002
Production: Piet Sielck
Genre: Heavy Metal / Power Metal
Well, finally, things have moved. After two mediocre follow-ups to the successful debut, the one that turned what started as a mere side project, “Iron Savior”, into an actual band of the same name in 1997, comes “Condition Red”, easily the best release so far from these German power metallers from Hamburg.
Piet Sielck, who these days is also busy with Savage Circus (with the wicked tag: “tribute to Blind Guardian band”), if I may be a little cheeky, the Noah of the generation of German bands Helloween, Gamma Ray, Blind Guardian, the unstoppable man of steel, put everything on the line this time, because Kai Hansen (ex-Helloween, Gamma Ray) left Iron Savior while the album was being made! But apparently that actually helped, since 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 breath of fresh air.
Of course, ahem, ahem. Through all of this, Iron Savior remain an interesting cross 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 the “blind guardians'” records, contributed backing vocals, and back in 1977 he and Kai Hansen laid the cornerstone for Helloween’s birth with their band Gentry. Why didn’t Piet stay with Helloween? Supposedly he tossed his guitar in the corner for a while because of his studies in the USA. And wouldn’t you know it, right then Helloween made it big. I’m gossiping because Iron Savior are a fairly young band, and some of you might unwittingly brand them thieves of what the bands listed above are doing, the very bands Piet breathed life into and helped through the birth pangs of their now successful music careers (I’m thinking mainly of Blind Guardian). So the backing vocals remind you of Blind Guardian one moment and Gamma Ray the next, and so do the triple guitar harmonies.
Let’s get 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 knows how to let a riff rip (“Warrior” or “Mindfeeder”, whose chorus, given how the verses are laid out, pulls toward some Primal Fear basher), which lifts the atmosphere even more. Then there are old tomcat Piet’s tricks, where the riff cuts out and Piet sings over just the rhythm line (“Walls Of Fire”). On top of it all being played with serious balls, Piet delivers his angriest vocals yet. “Condition Red” is undoubtedly the best-sung Iron Savior record so far. A distinctive, raspy voice that keeps all its power no matter what section Piet finds himself in. There’s no room here for the “crying” of the Hammerfall or Stratovarious type (apologies in advance to the fans for borrowing the comparison).
This is power metal that sends shivers down your spine through headphones right from the first track! A must for anyone who puts any stock in classic German heavy metal from the Hamburg brotherhood. Keep it up, boys!
author: Aleš Podbrežnik
rating: 9.0 / 10
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
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
