Neoclassical Power Metal masters Ark Storm are back with their new “Voyage Of The Rage” album, 14 years after their previous “The Everlasting Wheel”.
Listening to the new album I got to say just one, first simple thing: “Ok, worth the waiting”. Why? Because the album consists mainly of Neoclassical Power Metal masterpieces blessed by the amazing guitar playing of the mighty Katsu Ohta and of course by the vocals of the one and only Mark Boals who sings in this album. Yeah you read it correctly, in this album you will have the chance to listen Mr Boals himself delivering some amazing vocal lines on the eight of the ten album tracks. The rest two “Voyage Of The Rage” and “Witchcraft Stone” are instrumentals. To tell you the truth I would prefer two more songs featuring Mark’s vocals, at the end of the day for the instrumental material, Katsu can alawya turn to a solo project :).
Anyway, only high class Neoclassical stuff we can hear in this album. difficult to pick a specific track but at the end of the day “Ablaze” have became a personal favorite of mine. Amazing songwriting on all of the tracks. this is Japanese Neoclassical Power Metal as we love it.
I have one last word to share about the production. Ok Ark Storm never actually have the best productions in the world. But I was expecting a production level very close -or equal- to the one of the previous album. Things in the new one are a little worse, I would prefer the rhythm guitars a little higher in the mix and some more careful balancing among the instruments after all. The production is NOT crap at the end of the day, but it could be a little better.
anyway the good news are that we have a new Ark Storm masterpiece to keep us company for the next 14 years (???). Shall we have to wait so long for the next album? Who knows….
Excellent band, excellent release. Go and check.
