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Crysteria
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Crysteria |
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| Crystal Ball are a melodic power metal band from Switzerland formed in 1998. The band have released ten albums during their twenty year plus career, celebrating their twentieth year as a band in 2018 by releasing (their tenth album) 'Crystallizer'. Crystal Ball have shared a stage with bands such as Krokus, Freedom Call, Primal Fear and Axel Rudi Pell, and have established themselves as one of the premiere melodic power metal bands to have emerged from Switzerland. Now in their third decade as a band, Crystal Ball released their eleventh full length album 'Crysteria' in 2022. | ||||||
| The new album has shifted away from the sonic assault of power metal, landing directly in the melodic metal and rock genres. Twelve heavy hitting songs over fifty hard rocking minutes, all comes to life with the feisty 'What Part Of No'. Up tempo and full of electric energy, 'What Part Of No' is highly infectious, with a chant style sing a long chorus that an in concert crowd are simply gonna love. What a belter to open the new album - Crystal Ball rocking just as hard as they ever have. The band drop a gear for 'You Lit My Fire', adopting a more melodic trot than the gallop of album opener 'What Part Of No'. The swagger of stadium rock is beginning to shine through, the big bombastic riffing and crowd pleasing choruses. Crystal Ball have upped the ante with a shift in their musical direction, proving they are more than just a power metal band. Although, for 'Call Of The Wild' the band do return to their metal roots. A fast paced gallop takes over the album, as does the powerful voice of Ronnie Romero, vocalist for Rainbow and Lords Of Black. 'Call Of The Wild' also gives the head bangers of the world the first real opportunity to do some serious head banging. | ||||||
| 'I Am Rock' is the most bombastic song heard so far, the heavy hitting nature pounding like a jack hammer, causing just as much destruction - grounds shuddering and walls crumbling under its immense force. Yet incredibly the catchy and infectious nature of everything Crystal Ball do is still highly evident! What a song, and what an anthem. 'Undying' maintains the albums heavy hitting hard rocking nature, but increases the intensity to become a determined and driven rocker. And the melodious intent - off the scale! Title song 'Crysteria' is the albums heaviest hitter so far, and is more bombastic than 'I Am Rock'. The weight of rock rebounding off the walls is phenomenal, with 'Crysteria' (the song) moving heads and feet in an all encompassing steady rhythm. And the anthemic nature too, is sky high! Incorporating a touch of the blues and a little Southern rock swagger, the band hit top form with 'Make My Day'. A staggering blend of styles, Crystal Ball are not afraid to experiment, and push the boundaries of their chosen musical direction. | ||||||
| Injecting more pace than has been seen over the last few songs, the band display a traditional "foot on the monitor" gallop for 'No Limits', a less rock more metal offering. The hard rocking nature will please the die hard head bangers, planting a smile a mile wide across their faces. Come on everyone, raise your fist high and punch the air in salute to an absolute corker of a song. 'Draw The Line' takes on the mantle of a hustle and bustle style rocker, a mid to high tempo swagger of melodic rock. The energy that's been running through the album since it began has not dissipated in the slightest, Crystal Ball seemingly having an unlimited supply! 'Loins On Fire' - a double meaning phrase of either excruciating pain or exhilarating pleasure - is a heavier styled thunderstorm of rock. The meld of rock and metal is incredible, the infectious level off the charts, and the sing a long ability the stuff of high crowd participation. Crystal Ball are on to a winner with this one. | ||||||
| And as we head into the final two songs, realisation dawns on me that with this modern day hard rock album, there hasn't been a single ballad of any kind! Not that I'm complaining - full on hard rock/heavy metal suits me fine. The penultimate song 'Sole Conviction' is a melodic rock stroll, heavy hitting yet remaining in the upper echelons of infectious stadium rock. The album comes to a close with a cracking collaboration - melodic metallers Jaded Heart combine forces with Crystal Ball for the cunningly clever titled 'Crystal Heart'. With a sudden upsurge in the energy levels, 'Crystal Heart' is a barnstorming heavy rocker, and a fantastic end to a great album of melodic power come heavy metal come hard rock. | ||||||
| Overall, a wonderful blend of metal and rock, Crystal Ball deliver an infectious and highly melodic aural delight. | ||||||
| Review by Iron Mathew Collins | ||||||
| Reviewed for Metal Gods TV | ||||||
| Review is also featured at Metal-Roos | ||||||
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| Crystallizer | ||||||
| " 'Crystallizer' is a thrilling blend of power metal and hard rock, and with its sing a long style choruses, you'll be singing along from start to finish" Read Review | ||||||
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