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ASPIRE - THE AGE OF RECKONING
ASPIRE PRODUCTIONS
METAL TO INFINITY
I'm completely satisfied and honoured spreading the words of NY based Aspire's new effort entitled "The Age Of Reckoning", released by the guys themselves. Aspire's previous album "Quest Eternal" shows a lot of great talent, offered by only two members named Ryan Metzger (vocals) and guitarist Al Candello. These guys formed the band two years ago, worked fingers to the bone bringing attractive Metal music to people end finally their third album is a fact, ready to unleash.
The more i was impressed by album number two, this new one "The Age Of Reckoning" is even better. Quite the same style as earliër works which means awesome vocals that reminds me of Danny White from Cauldron Born (disbanded), Bobby Lucas (Overlorde), Mark Shelton from Manilla Road and a few other great US Metal frontmen. Exactly those kinda singers i like the most of all. Clear vocals, sometimes high-pitched...that the way it should be to me!
As for the style of music, prepare for a superb blend of US Power Metal with a serious symphonic / orchestral feel. Something like Cauldron Born meets Skylark / early Labyrinth, not that simple to accept but that's the way i feel while hearing Aspire doing their duties. The line-up isn't changed. Ryan's still the singer in the band and he's better than before. In my review of "Quest Eternal" i discribed him as kinda unstable sometimes but that was then, this is now. The new album contains some kinda reborn singer who took a big step forward regarding his vocally skills!
About Al Candello, he was in very good shape and he still is. Great axeman with magical fingers giving away beautiful works as soon as his guitar starts to roar. The new album contains 10 songs, again with symphonic or orchestral passages fitting very well with their own style of US Power Metal. All is produced / arranged by Aspire themselves and the results are brilliant.
They got company from a female vocalist named Charlotte Miller who sings a small part of the song "Center And Part Of the Whole". Fans of the US Metal movement, better watch out for songs like: "Burn The Witch", "Repentance", "Hynvorloc", "Verona's Walls",...Totally content with a release like this is my personal verdict! "The Age Of Reckoning" is a wonderful piece of US Metal to me including so much musical varieties, it really kicked me in the head. Don't wait to order please, otherwise you're not worth to wear the name US Metal maniac.
One more time, believe me on my heart and soul, this is a great and brilliant piece of Metal music. An album that shows US Metal still reigns supreme! More info at: www.aspireband.com or www.myspace.com/aspirenyc MY POINTS: 96 / 100