Artist: Enchanter
Release Title: Defenders Of The Realm
Release Type: Compilation
Release Year: 2008
Artist Genre: Power Metal
Artist Origin: USA
Track Listing:
1. Thor 2. Beckoned With The Call 3. Defenders Of The Realm 4. Tomb Of The Unknown Soldier 5. Time Gone Past Nevermore 6. Beckoned With The Call 7. Keepers Of The Dawn 8. Imaginary Throne 9. Intro 10. Ethereal Quarter
1. Thor 2. Beckoned With The Call 3. Defenders Of The Realm 4. Tomb Of The Unknown Soldier 5. Time Gone Past Nevermore 6. Beckoned With The Call 7. Keepers Of The Dawn 8. Imaginary Throne 9. Intro 10. Ethereal Quarter
Total playing time: 52:57
The duo of "The Spectre Within" and "Awaken The Guardian" have always been lauded as cornerstones of US Power metal but I've never been able to catch on. Which is almost ridiculous to many being that I'm a US power metal nut. Sort of like being a huge thrash fan and not liking Metallica's first 2. Musically I always found those Fates Warning releases as accomplished, songwriting and riffwise BUT I....just...CANNOT STAND John Arch. A combination of a weak delivery along with a very nasally tone make him really irritating for me and I've seen many others object to his vocals as well, regardless of how he made his vocals unique and act like a melodic instrument, his tone and delivery are strange and not in a good way.
Well I divulge, this release by Enchanter is the answer to my prayers. It has the atmosphere and style of those Fates Warning releases but with a vocalist which I can appreciate and closer to Geoff Tate in his approach. Enchanter were a Michigan unit who released a couple of demos in the late 80's clearly taking notes from the John Arch Fates Warning releases. You'll be able to hear a riff or two you've heard on those releases but Enchanter are original enough to not be a rip off or anything. This release from 2008 has the 2 demos they released in the 80's along with a single they released in 1990 and don't sweat they haven't been remastered! The tracks from the first demo are very close to early Fates Warning in sound and production but the tracks from the second demo are more loud in the mix and the guitars more thrashy. I tend to prefer the earlier tracks because of the added ambience due to the more raw production but the latter tracks are pleasing as well. You can hear an mp3 upload of the track "Tomb Of The Unknown Soldier" above. This mp3 track perfectly shows the quality of the album.
What must be the strongest track on here is "Tomb Of The Unknown Soldier" which goes through several different moods nicely including a spoken ambient section with wind blowing and an epic verse whispered alongside a glorious melodic choral section similar to the one at the start of Fates Warning's "The Apparition". Other standouts include "Thor", "Beckoned With The Call", The speedy "Time Gone Past - Nevermore" and "Ethereal Quarter" is a nice melodic closer.
Just a nice classy USPM record. If you liked the early Fates Warning releases but wanted more pallatable, balanced vocals this is it. Check out mp3 downloads of the tracks I've recommended and if those mp3s are pleasing go out and buy it from amazon.
