FRENZY FIRE

    

METAL & ROCK REVIEWS

    
             
HOME            
REVIEWS            
ARTISTS            
UPCOMING            
LINKS            
             

     
     
     
         
         

Longing For Light

      
         
         
         
     
             
Star.Gate are a melodic metal band from Greece who released their self titled debut album in 2004. It was nearly ten years before the release of the bands second album in 2013 with their third album, 'Longing For Light', released in 2016.    
             
'Overture' is an atmospheric two minute intro that sets a scene of fantasy and magical as it builds into a crescendo, before the opening song 'Don't Lose Your Pride' romps into sight and plods along at mid tempo. Full of catchiness and infectiousness, 'Don't Lose Your Pride' is a cracking slab of melodic metal that will have your feet tapping and your head nodding. Hard hitting and even harder rocking 'I Can't Go' carries on the feel good vibe set by the opening song. Foot tappingly addictive, 'I Can't Go On' has a sing a long style chorus, clean and clear vocals and that special ingredient that makes you wanna continue listening, rather than skip to next song. With eleven songs across less than forty minutes, the album is over relatively quickly, but there are some great songs here. 'Crystal Light' takes a more rock approach than metal, but is still packed to the rafters with catchiness. The melodic side to Star.Gate is very prominent and its infectious nature will keep the listener hooked.    
             
As well as the clean and clear vocals, every song on the album benefits from crisp guitar solos, trotting rhythms that occasionally gallop and an infectious catchiness that is just superb. Delving into ballad territory, 'Dark Poet' is a lumbering and lurching power ballad that will have your lighters raised high and arms waving from side to side. 'Winter Morning' is a twanging instrumental that leads into the NWOBHM buzz style guitar riff that sets up 'Answers' to bully and barge its way through the airways. 'Answers' is punchy and benefits greatly from the guitar sound, reminding the older listeners of the sound from the "good old days" back in the eighties.    
             
'Give Me Your Wings' introduces elements of AOR to the album. Melodic and mature, 'Give Me Your Wings' is a radio friendly song that will also appeal to non rock and metal fans. A second instrumental, the intro to the following song 'Brave', is unimaginatively titled 'Brave Intro' is a ferocious two minute drum fuelled foray that leads straight into 'Brave'. Storming rhythms that will catch your attention, a sing a long style chorus and 'Brave' has all the ingredients that make great melodic rock songs. The final song on the album is also the longest, clocking in at over five minutes in length and amazingly it is also nearly two minutes longer than the second longest song! 'Light My Way' has a majestic and epic intro that gives way to a mellow feel and a third power ballad gets underway. A soulful and top notch vocal performance over a slow and winding rhythm, fans will have their lighters higher and brighter than ever, as 'Light My Way' meanders its way to an end.    
             
Overall, a sparkling and mesmeric melodic stomp, full of catchiness and infectiousness from start to finish to keep your heads nodding and feet tapping.    
             
             
Review by Iron Mathew Collins    
             
Reviewed for Metal Gods TV    
             
             
Top