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Crystal Ball: Crystalizer

Melodic Heavy Metal

4.5/5.0

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Massacre Records
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 11.04.2018

Constant consistency is a good thing for a band. For Switzerland's Crystal Ball it means their tenth album, Crystalizer, the fourth in six years, and another platter of melodic heavy metal, basically their musical calling card.

Crystal Ball

Unfolding that description a little more,Crystalizer is exactly what you would expect from Crystal Ball: melodic metal infused with hard rock groove and wrapped in AOR accessibility. Sharp, brisk riffage, and a powerful rhythm section give Crystal Ball a metal edge. But the same rhythm section infects each song with rock groove. So bang your head and tap your toe to the tunes. Additionally, the band makes melody and harmony, whether by guitar lines or vocal arrangement, necessary parts of every song. The mixture of catchy riffs, melodies, groove, and refrains makes for a lethal combination.

When these things come together you have killer metal rockers like the brisk grooving S.O.S., the AORish Gentleman's Agreement, the heavy hitting Death On Holy Ground, and riff rich Dusty Deadly. For a lighter electric guitar start, there's the bonus track (available with the special edition digipak) Satisfaction Guaranteed, which quickly builds to a heavy metal rocker. The second bonus track, the metal anthem Exit Wounds has a softer start in the first half, then rises with thick riffage to a solo in the latter half. A metal ballad come with Let Her Go With Love, which is driven by a lilting light guitar line. Yet, the most interesting song here maybe Symphony Of Life, which features vocalist Steven Mageney's vocal humming in three parts, beginning, middle, and end. In between, sharp riffs and a catchy rock groove propel the song. As said earlier, Crystalizer is completely Crystal Ball: entertaining melodic metal infected with hard rock groove and sweetened with AOR accessibility. Recommended.

Note: All Amazon advertising in this review first benefits the artist, then Craig Hartranft also receives a residual. Click, and thanks for your support.

Crystalizer is completely Crystal Ball: entertaining melodic metal infected with hard rock groove and sweetened with AOR accessibility. Recommended.

Alphabetical Index

eviewing my archives, I was pleased to find that I have had the privilege to review every Lionville since their self-titled debut in 2011. Formed by Stefano Lionetti, a songwriter, singer and guitarist based in ... [ Read More ]