This is the 12th studio by the German melodic hard rockers, and would be the last to feature original member and main songwriter and producer, Dennis Ward. The band have been through their fair share of personal changes, including original singer, Andi Deris, leaving to join Helloween. His replacement was a relative unknown powerhouse from Burnley, Dave Readman, who has been there ever since.
I have quite a few of there albums, but this is the first I have on vinyl. Glad to report that the quality of songs is as high as ever. Dennis has gone out on a high as the songwriting and production are really high and is up there with their best albums. Opening track, We Bow To None, is a beast of an opening tune with double kicks pounding away. Walls Come Down is a more commercial sounding tune with a great chorus and melody. Unite And Divide is my favourite so far as it has a superb melody and hook with some killer guitar from Uwe Reitenauer – who would also leave the band after this album. No More Fear, if possible, is even better! A really awesome melody, hook, and groove with a killer riff. Man Of Sorrow is a big build up track that starts real slow and kicks in with a great riff and melody. Path Of Destiny starts with a really heavy opening and is the heaviest track so far.
If this album came out in ’84, these guys would be kings of the world. Vagrant Of The Night is the big centrepiece of the record with Readman showing what a great singer he is, and also some killer guitar from Reitenaur. Bloodsucker is the most simple track on the record, with a very easy riff and melody but works really well. Whistleblower has a nice chugga riff and a great choppy groove – it picks up the pace nicely.
We close out the record with The Other Man, and the focus here is on the vocal and the harmonies which are just fantastic. It will be interesting to see where the band go from here as Ward and Koffler have been the main songwriters, and with no Dennis, who knows? But this is one hell of a record to go out on.
10/10 from The Grooveman.
