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On disc: Angel Dust



- Enlighten The Darkness - Claudia Ehrhardt - 8 stars
- Of Human Bondage - Claudia Ehrhardt - 9 stars
- Of Human Bondage - Volker Raabe - 7 stars


www.angel-dust.de







Of Human Bondage

Of Human Bondage
(Century Media - 2002)


Brilliant melodic power metal is what the Dortmund-based band Angel Dust present on Of Human Bondage. This band is one of the few acts which never gave up, even if they had to face problems and who are able to deliver one good album after another. And they did it again!
A highlight is Unreal Soul which has a anthem-like chorus and is an ear catcher. The other songs are great compositions and fans of the band will get into the album without any problems. If you listen to Forever, the impressive Got This Devil or the excellent The Cultman the variety of Of Human Bondage is obvious and the elevation of the band as well. Even if I never really liked the keyboards on Angel Dust albums since Border Of Reality, but that's just my opinion...


7 stars

Volker Raabe
(translation: Claudia Ehrhardt)
 

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Of Human Bondage

Of Human Bondage
(Century Media - 2002)


The first track of Angel Dust's Of Human Bondage shows their way. They are heavier, more riff-oriented then in the past, but still there are their typical trademarks and the title track could stand for the musical direction of the album. The line-up change took influence, coz with Ritchie Wilkison they have a guitarist who is more riff-oriented. Keyboarder Steven Banx partly uses unusual sounds, but they fit into the atmosphere of the songs and build a counterpart to the guitar riffing. But don't expect that they returned to their thrash roots! The songs are straighter, power metal with a thrashy guitar, atmospheric, sometimes bombastic keyboards crowned by the outstanding voice of singer Dirk Thurisch. Of Human Bondage is the most mature album and their masterpiece so far. A larger variety keeps it interesting. With Unreal Soul they have an anthem-type of song which combines all the different elements of the Angel Dust sound in one songs. On the other hand a songs like Disbeliever (a kind of power ballad) or The Cultman (partly with acoustic guitars and a balladesque sound, other parts are a lot heavier...) wouldn't fit to one of their previous releases, but are part of the magic of this one. Interesting is their version of Seals Killer, a pop song which they transformed to a heavy metal track. Partly they have to leave the original behind and kinda rewrite the song, but this make it sound like one of their own! A must for every power metal fan! Buy it!


9 stars

Claudia Ehrhardt
 

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Enlighten The Darkness

Enlighten The Darkness
(Century Media - 2000)


The power metal quintet from Germany released their 3rd album since their re-union in 1997 and it's called Enlighten The Darkness. Last years album Bleed was one of the highlights of German power metal in 1999 and so the band was under pressure to top this album. Founding member Dirk Assmuth and long-time band member Frank Banx wouldn't be satisfied to record something like Bleed Pt. 2, so they got more experimental! Experimental doesn't mean that they totally changed, but they included new sounds and elements. Listen to The One You Are and you'll know what I'm talking about. In my opinion the new elements present the new Angel Dust and personally I like their new sound, even if some fans probably won't be able to follow the new ways... Enjoy! is influenced by Rammstein, but it's just an element added to their power metal sound! But that doesn't mean that the quintet is not able to play a ballad any more! With this album the band of singer Dirk Thurisch has grown up, they have enough self-confidence to try new stuff and I think if the fans give them a chance and listen to the album a few times, they'll like it or probably learn to love it. This is nothing which you fall in love from the first minute, you have to discover it!


8 stars

Claudia Ehrhardt
 

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