Voice - Trapped In Anguish


Year of Release: 1999
Label: AFM Records
Catalog Number: 0046632AFM
Format: CD
Total Time: 55:34:00

When I got my hands on Angel Dust?s Bleed this year, I doubted that anything would excite me as much in the power metal genre. Angel Dust?s chemistry of power and melody with some nicely added keyboards produced exactly the solution to my melodic power metal taste. Voice has previously released a hard to find disc called Prediction which is a very good disc in it?s own right, and when they came out of the blue and recently released their latest disc, Trapped In Anguish, it was an instant buy just based on past experience with the band?s music. Little did I know that not only would they have produced a superior disc to their previous one, but that I would take to it even more than I did with Angel Dust, something I thought just couldn?t happen.

THE STYLE

This is quality German melodic power metal - incorporating many styles and sounds from bands like Accept, Edguy, some Savatage, and a host of others. Their ability to go from an Accept-like power cruncher, to an all out double bass assault like Edguy, to high quality power ballads like Savatage will please many a melodic ear. Adding some complementary keyboards just like Angel Dust does with their music makes this even more special; without them, this band might fall into the trap of being just ?another? German power metal band - they tastily add strings and other keyboard sounds at the precise moment, making their songs sound extremely huge and epic. Anyone into Angel Dust, Edguy, symphonic Accept and German melodic power metal will eat this one up alive.

THE BAND:

There are 6 members in the band - consisting of 2 guitarists, bass, drums, singer and keyboard player. Between them, they create a huge wall of power metal, and with the backing keys playing a major role in the sound, you?d swear there were twice as many members in the band. All but one contributes backing vocals and their harmonies can be found throughout the disc, and somehow seamlessly mesh between all of the instruments without sounding cluttered. The drummer and guitarists are the standouts here, with the twins playing off each other in a furious yet melodic way. They can power crunch as well as turn it down for the ballads, and their leads are never showy, but contribute even more to the melodies. It?s obvious that this band is concentrating on those warm melodies, no matter what instrument takes center stage. The drummer, possibly because of his style and huge sound, remind me so much of Dr. Kildrums (Savatage). He has a clean, steady,and powerful style, making sure that every beat complements the music, instead of trying to inject more than he should into the sound.

THE VOCALS:

Oliver Glas has a dual style voice - he can sound like DC Cooper at his softer passages, and then go into an almost Rage-like tone, and then shoot over to a Zach Stevens type tone. The guy is simply amazing - at any time you never know what he is going to because of the ever changing music - and he is also a very operatic singer - making this whole musical journey one of excitement and anticipation. He stays within his range -and never goes beyond what he is capable of doing - and he doesn?t have to reach high as is voice is as pleasant as it is powerful to maintain any power level that the music reaches around him. In short - the guy is amazing to these ears.

THE PRODUCTION:

If you thought that Edguy had a great production, or Savatage or Angel Dust could put out some sonic gems - wait until this one gets cranked up on your system. From the opening notes you?ll know you?re in for a sonic feast as both guitars, tons of drums, keyboards, awesome singer, and backing harmonies just ooze beauty out of your speakers. Someone out there knows sound, and when you have this much going on in your music, you?d think that you?d have to sacrifice somewhere. Not here - this is one of the best recordings I?ve heard all year, and maybe in quite a few years. With 6 members all scrambling for huge sound, it?s a wonder that it didn?t all get squelched in the mix. You will hear every detail of every note of every instrument at any moment. Put some headphones [on] and hear every minor detail in it?s glory. It?s truly an amazing feat, and it puts my faith back into the notion that there IS someone out there concerned about their sound and how it reaches the listener. Brilliant production.

THE VERDICT

This is now THE power metal disc in my life. With their huge, epic songs, most clocking in at the 5-6 minute time, and one hitting the 10:30 mark, this band can do no wrong. I would venture to guess that my love for the disc has it?s roots at the power mixed in with the beauty along with the great singer. This is super polished, super waxed melodic power metal with some prog injected moments that spells out CLASS at every turn. There is something here for everyone - I can?t imagine any metal head not wanting this one, it?s got something for everyone: power, crunch, melody, production, speed, ballads, and more. When you don?t expect a band to release a disc, much less put out a monster like this, it?s all the more exciting and inspiring that there are bands out there breaking their necks and going that extra step to reach the listener in ways that many other bands can?t or won?t. Voice is taking names and just plain kicking ass, and this is one disc you won?t want to miss out on. Buy or die.


Tracklisting:
No Way Out / Twilight Dreams / Behind Your Reflections / The Silent Way / Colder Than Ice / The Gunslinger / Disappeared Heroes / In The Night / The Journey

Musicians:
Arnd Otto - drums
Matthias L?scher - keyboards
Oliver Glas - lead and backing vocals
Thommy Neuhierl - guitars, backing vocals
Rico Hendel - guitars, backing vocals
Soren Glas - bass, backing vocals

Guests:

Reiner Wild - backing vocals
Jens Bachmann - backing vocals
Alfred Switzer - storyteller

Discography:
Prediction (1998)
Trapped In Anguish (1999)
Golden Signs (2001)
Soulhunter (2003)

Genre: Progressive-Power Metal

Origin DE

Added: September 1st 1999
Reviewer: Larry "LarryD" Daglieri

Artist website: www.voice-metal.de
Hits: 2697
Language: english

  

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