Shadow Keep - The Hourglass Effect


Year of Release: 2008
Label: Melissa Records
Catalog Number: MR005
Format: CD
Total Time: 51:50:00

Ever since I heard the Pendragon album Pure, I was impressed with their new drummer, Scott Higham. When I saw the Pendragon DVD, Concerto Maximo, I was even more impressed! Wow, what an amazing drummer is he! I had the pleasure of meeting him a few weeks ago, after seeing him in real live action. He blew me away and I was curious to what he did before he joined Pendragon.

He told me he was recording at the Thin Ice Studios of Clive Nolan and Karl Groom, and that not only got him the drum seat at Clive Nolan?s Caamora project, but also the job at Pendragon. The band he was recording with was Shadow Keep and the album was The Hourglass Effect.

Now I am not making it a habit to review older albums, but for this one I gladly make an exception, as I thoroughly enjoyed this one! A little warning, though! Shadow Keep has many progressive elements and enough arguments to call it progressive, but in the end it is a metal album, so expect a lot of shredding guitars...

The last Shadow Keep album, A Chaos Theory, dates back to 2003; incidentally, also with Scott Higham on drums. In the meantime they got a new singer and certainly not the least [notable], as Richie Wicks is ex-Tygers of Pan Tang and ex-Angel Witch. As this is my first taste of Shadow Keep, I cannot comment on how they now sound, so I'll stick to my impressions of this album.

The album opens very well, with the song "Shadowkeep," a very proggy sounding track with some melodic guitars and a lot of keys in it. Here the new vocalist kicks in. Honestly, I find Wicks a bit of a stereotype as a metal singer, high pitched, just-not-screaming. He reminds me very much of Steve Bettney of Saracen. But he fits perfectly in this power metal atmosphere.

And to add another familiar name, when I heard "Incisor," all I could think of was "Exciter," of the Judas Priest album Stained Glass .... although I prefer the Shadow Keep song as it has more bite to it.

Despite that at first listen it sounds like a typical power metal album, I am drawn to it. There is something in the songs that somehow make it above average! Just listen to "Ten Shades Of Black" ... that is just one f**king great song. Those ass kicking twin guitars! And the powerful drums by the aforementioned Scott Higham. The guitars absolutely rule on this album. Chris Allen and Nikki Robson are razor sharp, with fast and crunchy riffs. And they are supported by a solid rhythm section!

Next to the, somewhat, standard metal songs, which still sound great, there are some real treats on the album, such as "Leviathan Rising" or the acoustic "Waiting For The Call." Several songs are dramatized with additional effects and small speeches. It does not add much, but still nice.

The album ends on a high note, albeit not with shredding guitars, but with a great guest performance by Richard West, keyboardist for Threshold. And so, after a great ride, you slow down and you can choose: end the ride or go again. I found The Hourglass Effect enough reason to take the ride again. I can absolutely recommend this album to anyone who likes it progressive and heavy. And as for Scott Higham ... this only shows how versatile a drummer he is. I am glad I met him, as otherwise I never would have enjoyed this album.

On a last note: you can order this album directly from the label for just ?13 including worldwide shipping. So I see no reason not to order this album...


Tracklisting:
Shadowkeep (5:55) / Incisor (4:44) / Ten Shades Of Black (4:18) / Riot On Earth (5:28) / Six Billion Points Of Light (4:25) / Waiting For The Call (5:22) / As The Hourglass Falls (4:44) / Leviathan Rising (5:59) / Heart Shaped Stone (2:53) / With Force We Come (4:51) / How Many Times Have We Tried To Save The World (3:07)

Musicians:
Richie Wicks - vocals
Chris Allen - guitars
Nikki Robson - guitars
Stony Grantham - bass
Scott Higham - drums
Richard West - keyboards and piano
Karl Groom - additional keyboards

Discography:
Shadow Keep (EP) (1999)
Corruption Within (2000)
A Chaos Theory (2001)
The Hourglass Effect (2008)

Genre: Progressive-Power Metal

Origin UK

Added: January 5th 2010
Reviewer: Marcel Haster
Score:
Artist website: www.myspace.com/shadowkeepuk
Hits: 2858
Language: english

  

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