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Pellek: Bag of Tricks

Melodic Heavy/Power Metal

3.5/5.0

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Liljegren Music
by Craig Hartranft,  05.21.2012

Pellek is Norwegian singer Per Fredrik Asly, who rose to some fame in his own country after placing 12th on 'The X Factor.' While pursuing his solo career he also performed with UK symphonic metal band Damnation Angels. Pellek is quite talented having a four octave singing range.

Pellek: at the microphone.

Pellek's fondness for European melodic and symphonic power metal has led to the creation of his debut disc, Bag of Tricks, produced by the ubiquitous Tommy 'ReinXeed' Johansson (who also contributes guitar, bass, orchestration, among other things). Pellek is also helped by some other heavyweights on the vocal side including Oliver Hartmann (At Vance, Hartmann, et al) and Amanda Somerville (Avantasia, Trillium).

Simply, considering Pellek's inclinations, Tommy Reinxeed's production stamp, Bag of Tricks is exactly as intended to be: the aforementioned melodic power metal as a the vehicle for Pellek's vocals. In the light there are a number of very good songs here including Win, Bag of Tricks, and Stare Into My Eyes, the latter with Tommy Karevik of Seventh Wonder. Largely, on the more immense and heavily orchestrated pieces, Pellek seems to be overshadowed by the music. The previously mentioned Stare Into My Eyes and Born in Babylon are better venues for him. But also the more milder pieces with female vocals including Send My Message Home (with Somerville) and Don't Belong with Marit Borresen deserve attention. Overall, Bag of Tricks is an impressive debut, although the 'bag of tricks' seems to come at the hand of Johansson's predictable and extravagant production style. Nevertheless, the album foreshadows a promising career from a talented melodic metal singer. Recommended.

Pellek's Bag of Tricks is a rather impressive debut; the album foreshadows a promising career from a talented melodic metal singer. Recommended.

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