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Crystal Ball: Dawnbreaker

Melodic Hard Rock/Metal

4.0/5.0

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Massacre Records
by Craig Hartranft,  11.21.2013

Apparently, sometime between Crystal Ball's previous album, Secrets (2007) and the new Dawnbreaker, the band dissolved for several years. Now original members Scott Leach (g) and Marcel Sardella (d) have regrouped with a new line up including a new singer, Steven Mageney.

Crystal Ball:: back in black.

What hasn't changed is Crystal Ball's sound, which is basically a hybrid of melodic hard rock and heavy metal. As I recall, I remember the previous album with some ambivalence, thinking it would grow on me eventually over time. This may be the case once more. If anything, there's some variety on this album.

For instance, there's the song Power Pack which sounds like it's going to be blues tune, but turns into melodic metal with a strong rock groove. And getting that rock groove, whether in a straight hard rock song like Anyone Can Be Hero, or a metal song like Walls Fall Down or Back For Good, has always been one of Crystal Ball's great strengths.

Crystal Ball throws in two ballads with Eternal Flame and Stranded. The former takes lighter with some acoustic guitar leading, the latter feels more dense, even heavier, with it's thick riffage and steady drums. As for Mageney's voice, he has that melodic raspy style common in European rock

In the end, it's good to have Crystal Ball back. They've lost nothing in their brief absence and return with solid and entertaining album of melodic hard rock. Recommended.

Crystal Ball - Anyone Can Be A Hero (Official)

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

Crystal Ball has lost nothing in their brief absence and return with solid and entertaining album of melodic hard rock and metal.

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The Powell Payne project, created in 2022 is the collaboration of Mark "Penfold Powell (ex-drummer of Psycho Kiss) and Adam Payne (former vocalist of Airrace). With guitarist Adam Davies and keyboard player ... [ Read More ]