Evidence One - Criticize The Truth

Year of Release: 2002
Label: Point Music
Catalog Number: n/a
Format: CD
Total Time: 45:33:00

Evidence One is somewhat of a super group featuring members of Frontline and Shakra who have marked their position as two of the best bands in the AOR/melodic hard rock genre in recent years. The story of Evidence One starts in early 2001, when Domain vocalist Carsten "Lizard" Schulz and AOR Heaven boss Georg Siegl hooked up at a Kansas show in Munich. When Georg told Carsten about his plans of releasing a solo album from Frontline mastermind Robby Boebel, the singer, as a long-time Frontline fan, immediately catches fire and a couple months later, while Domain and Shakra are touring Germany on their Melodic Return tour, he gets to hear the first couple of instrumental demo songs. To make a long story short, in late November 2001 Boebel and Schulz start writing material for this solo album. The collaboration becomes amazingly productive: at their first meeting they write their first two killer tracks and even manage record all guitar and vocal parts in two days. Both musicians soon realise that this is more than just a solo project, thus, they decide to form a new band. As quickly as the songwriting emerges, they have together their new band, named Evidence One.

History has proven that even though you put a bunch of well known musicians together with the purpose of making an all-star-band, you would expect something out of the ordinary and the final result does not always live up to the expectations of such a band. So what about Evidence One? Is this just another sales trick or does it actually deliver where others have failed?

It seems like they have assimilated the best of each of their original bands and meld it into a perfect mix of melodic heavy and melodic metal, with some slight progressive influences. There are super-catchy power chord riffs, killer mid-ranged vocals and melody-lines and choruses to die for. Although the guitars and vocals are very much in focus, keyboards are used strategically to complement the songs. Truth be told, I have rarely heard a better or more complete collection of songs than this. From one killer song to the next, this CD is the real deal. The tracks range from mid-paced to up-tempo rockers with some acoustic/clean guitar parts thrown in. Evidence One is perhaps a little heavier than any of the members original bands and has enough balls to appeal to metal fans as well. From the 10 songs on offer there is not one single weak track in sight and as if that is not impressive enough, the 10 tracks all stand on their own. To complete the final impression the production is huge as well. Crystal clear, well balanced, rich and powerful.

From the songwriting, performance, production and track selection, this is without doubt one of the best albums of 2002. Criticize The Truth is one hell of a CD, incredibly song-oriented and addictively memorable, this one sneaks out of nowhere and under your skin. I am playing this CD a lot and it gets better with each spin. Hopefully Evidence One won't be a one-off affair as this album leaves you begging for more. And that's what classic album does to you, right?

[Tattooed Heart, their 2nd CD, was released just this year, in November 2004 - -ed.]

Similar bands: Shakra, Domain, Frontline

[This review originally appeared December 2002 at the ProgPower Online review site -ed.]
Tracklisting:
Criticize The Truth / Trust Vs. Heart / Different Worlds - Different Times / Like Never Before / Frozen In Time / Fool's Gold / In The Beginning There Was Fire / Spend The Top With Me / Perfect Love / Heavy Heart Betrayed

Musicians:
Robby Boebel - guitars
Carsten "Lizard" Schulz - vocals
Thomas "Hutch" Bauer - bass
Roger Tanner - drums

Discography:
Critcize the Truth (2002)
Tattooed Heart (2004)

Genre: Melodic Rock-AOR

Origin DE

Added: December 18th 2004
Reviewer: Bjørnar Bevolden
Score:
Artist website: www.evidenceone.de
Hits: 2598
Language: english