Rage - Unity

Year of Release: 2002
Label: SPV/Steamhammer
Catalog Number: SPV 085-72972-P CD
Format: CD
Total Time: 50:27:00

The full history of Rage is way too extensive for me to elaborate on, but when the latest line-up change on the release Ghosts in 1999 came into action, it was not immediately apparent what excellence would come from the new combination that is Peavy Wagner, Victor Smolski and Mike Terrana. The fact that neither of the two newcomers could contribute to those songs changed when Rage released Welcome To The Other Side in 2001. A very exiting and refreshing release, although some of the songs still seemed unsettled and the difference between Peavy and Victor's song-writing approach was very obvious. It took them a couple of years and a few live shows, but finally Rage have merged with Unity - the title of their new album. About two thirds of the 11 songs came off Victor's feather, while the rest was written by Peavy, who also wrote almost all the lyrics. Mike's contributions, whilst less than Smolski's, [was to] co-write one song and also write the lyrics to the same.

Let me tell you, Rage have changed face and become heavier and also the songs are very even and balanced throughout the album. There is not so much progressive fiddling on Victor's part and some of the bombastic elements of Welcome To The Other Side has subsided. Unity is overall quite dark and some songs (like the opening track "All I Want") even contain death growls. Next, the guitars have been layered extensively for a beefier sound and the riffs seem to come more from the top (deeper) end of the guitar neck. To aid all of that is Mr. Producer Formidable - Charlie Bauerfeind - [who] has applied a very dry sound in the mix and stayed away from the big symphonic sounding monster productions to give the entire album a rehearsal studio sound-feel which does wonders for the guitars and creates an intense, raw atmosphere. Peavy has not surrendered any of his vocal abilities and made sure that every song features at least one or two sing (scream) along sections or choruses to keep the fans hoarse and sore for a while to come. If that's not enough, Hansi "Blind Guardian" Kürsch and DC Cooper in person have been credited with backing vocal duties!

If you have been a Rage fan for yonks, go for it, this is a must buy. If you were never big on Rage but good old traditional power metal is your thing - then give Unity a spin. You never know.

[This review originally appeared November 2002 at the ProgPower Online review site -ed.]

Tracklisting:
All I Want (4:59) / Insanity (4:21) / Down (5:24) / Set This World On Fire (5:05) / Dies Irae (5:08) / World Of Pain (4:02) / Shadows (0:57) / Living My Dream (4:49) / Seven Deadly Sins (4:09) / You Want It, You'll Get It (4:05) / Unity (7:17) / Bonus Track (Digi-Pack) Mystery Trip

Bonus Track added to JP version: Darkness Turns To Light

Musicians:
Peter 'Peavey' Wagner - vocals
Victor Smolski - guitars
Mike Terrana - drums

Guests:

Hansi Kürsch - backing vocals
DC Cooper - backing vocals

Discography:
Avenger - Prayer Of Steel (1985)
Avenger - Depraved To Black (1985)
Reign Of Fear (1986)
Execution Guaranteed (1987)
Perfect Man (1988)
Invisible Horizons (EP) (1989)
Secrets In A Weird World (1989)
Reflections Of A Shadow (1990)
Extended Power (EP) (1991)
Beyond The Wall (EP) (1992)
Trapped! (1992)
Refuge (EP) (1993)
The Missing Link (1993)
Power Of Metal (1994)
Ten Years In Rage (1994)
Black In Mind (1995)
Lingua Mortis (1996)
End Of All Days (1997)
Higher Than The Sky (ep) (1997)
Live From The Vault (1997)
In Vain 'Rage In Acoustic' (1998)
XIII (1998)
The Best From The Noise Years (1998)
In Vain I - III (1998)
Ghosts (1999)
Best Of - All G.U.N. Years (2001)
Welcome To The Other Side (2001)
Unity (2002)
Soundchaser (2003)
From The Cradle To The Stage (2004)
Speak Of The Dead (2006)
Fullmoon in St. Petersburg (2007)
Carved In Stone (2008)
Carved In Stone/Gib Dich Nie Auf (2009)
Strings To A Web (2010)
21 (2012)
The Soundchaser Archives (2014)
The Refuge Years (2015)
My Way (EP) (2016)
The Devil Strikes Again (2016)
Seasons Of The Black (2017)
The Metal Years (box set) (2019)
Winds Of Rage (2020)

From The Cradle To The Stage (DVD) (2004)

Genre: Other

Origin DE

Added: January 17th 2005
Reviewer: Peter Fundeis
Score:
Artist website: www.rage-official.com
Hits: 2685
Language: english