Two of the best musicians in metal - Hansi Kursch of Blind Guardian and Jon Schaffer of Iced Earth - have come together with phenemonal results. This album simply kicks [but], energetic and yet melodic, spiritual and yet dark. Those who say this album offers little in musicianship must have not listened to the album very much. Some people don't like Kursch's vocal style - I can see why some might say that, even though he's a great singer, the sound of his voice might put some off. But in the way of pure instrumentation, this album is permeated by talent, melody, and power. 1. Rites of Passage / 2. Heaven Denies (10/10) The first track is just a minute long chant-like intro, which kicks into the blistering guitar of Heaven Denies. This is a great song, with guitar that seems to strum at a million miles a second. The lyrics are dark, and, which should be obvious from the title, about the guilt associated with Christianity. Ends in a medeival sounding chant, even with some latin ("spiritus sanctus"). 3. Poor Man's Crusade (10/10) Another anti-Christian song, about the bloodshed and guilt associated with it. More heavy guitar, with a catchy chorus. 4. Fiddler on the Green (10/10) Starts out very melodic, with acoustic guitar and melodic singing, then after about 3 minutes some heavy but doomy guitar comes in. Great melodic song, with a really emotional feel to it. 5. Blood on My Hands (10/10) This is my favorite song on here. The lyrics seem very spiritual and pagan, it's a heavy song, with a catchy chorus ("By the ancient spirits rise / The old ghost will claim their lives / But still they're lost in time"). 6. Path of Glory (9/10) This is a slower, more melodic song. Good, but somewhat sub-par. 7. Winter of Souls (8/10) Another slower, melodic song, this seems to have medeival-oriented lyrics, about kings and whatnot. A good chorus, but this song doesn't captivate me like the others. 8. The Whistler (8.5/10) Another melodic song, somewhat good, but still doesn't catch my attention. 9. Tear Down the Wall (9/10) Ah, after those melodic songs I get some heavy guitar again. This doesn't quite have the energy as some of the others, but it's still good. 10. Gallow's Pole (8.5/10) A heavier song, but the power still seems to lack a little. 11. My Last Sunrise (10/10) Another darkly spiritual song, starts out slow, acoustic guitar, nice singing, then comes the blistering guitar, with killer lyrics - "Golgotha - saw nothing more than a carpenter's death / Golgotha - nothing more maybe not even that." I love how dark this song is. 12. Chant - Just a minute long outro. 13. White Room (10/10) This is an awesome cover of the classic Cream song. Ok, so there might be some "iffy" songs on here, but that's just because the power of some of the songs overshadows some of the others, even though the weakest songs on here are better than a lot of metal. Blind Guardian & Iced Earth similarly have their high and weaker moments, but both are awesome bands, and so is this collaboration. I want more!
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