New Music Review : Stormzone - Ignite The Machine : CD Album Music Review : Dangerdog Music Reviews : Craig Hartranft

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Stormzone: Ignite The Machine

Heavy/Power Metal

4.5/5.0

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Metalapolis Records
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 29.07.2020 | Released: 31.07.2020

Hailing from Ireland and formed in 2004 by vocalist John "Harv" Harbinson, Stormzone has had a consistent album output since 2006. My last experience with the band was 2015's concept album Seven Sins, a solid slab of heavy metal. Now Stormzone returns with their seventh long player Ignite The Machine which finds the band reuniting with guitarist Dave Shields, last heard on 2013's Three Kings.

Stormzone

Refreshing our collective memories, Stormzone plays traditional heavy metal straight out of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal tradition. Their metal includes the usual music suspects: a twin guitar attack for riff harmony and dueling leads, speed as necessary and plenty of rock groove from the rhythm section, and Harbinson's clean, strong, and soaring vocals. All these things are wrapped in fine song melody and harmony by both the guitar and vocal arrangements. Harbinson, as always, is exceptional at advancing the song melody while the heavy metal rages around him. Overall, I was also quite impressed with abundance and depth of the guitar solos. If you love and expect thrilling solos with your heavy metal, you will dig Stormzone.

The album offers 12 songs over an hour and a few minutes, but I'll only mention a few. For some songs with power metal gallop and groove and exciting solos, listen for Ignite The Machine, Revolution, or New Age Necromancer. Alternatively, Stormzone tries to trip you up with songs that offer mellow starts, suggesting perhaps a metal ballad or anthem. Perhaps not. Flame That Never Dies has a fine voice over acoustic guitar first half, but then leaps into faster heavy metal. With Each Setting Sun, light piano precedes building riffs and rhythm section before bowing out for some brisk heavy metal and some terrific guitar solos. A final mention is This Is Heavy Metal, essentially an ode to metal, the song offers plenty of groove, gang vocals for the chorus and, of course, more tasty guitar solos.

All things considered, Stormzone's Ignite The Machine is another fine and entertaining album of classic heavy metal from these guardians of the genre. Indeed. This is heavy metal. Recommended.

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