FRENZY FIRE

    

METAL & ROCK REVIEWS

    
             
HOME            
REVIEWS            
ARTISTS            
UPCOMING            
LINKS            
             

 

      
   
   
       
       

Constellation

    
       
       
       
     
             
Stargazery are a melodic heavy metal band from Finland formed in 2005, with their debut release, 2007's 'Dying/Rescue' single. The bands first full length album 'Eye On The Sky' emerged in 2011, with their sophomore album 'Stars Aligned', a 2015 release. 'Constellation' is the bands third album, and was released in 2020.    
             
Featuring ten songs across forty four minutes, Stargazery deliver a bombastic, keyboard driven style of melodic metal that is infectious to the max. Head nodding, foot tapping, and the occasional head banging will accompany 'Constellation' (the album), as it bursts into life with the first single released (off the album) 'Sinners In Shadows'. Taking its guitar sound from the iconic NWOBHM sound, 'Sinners In Shadows' is an up tempo and energetic hard rocking opening salvo. Highly infectious, 'Sinners In Shadows' is one of those "head turning" opening songs that makes you wanna hear more... 'War Torn' has a more mellow opening, before assuming the mid tempo melodic march feel. An anthem in every sense of the word, 'War Torn' ambles on its way with a highly sing a long style chorus, and a mild hint of the sound by one of Sweden's most famous hard rock exports Europe - you'll need to go back quite a few years to their 'Prisoners In Paradise' era to hear what I mean.    
             
Increasing the intensity somewhat, 'Self-Proclaimed King' is heavier than either of the opening two songs, yet remains at a mid tempo melodic pace, a pace that is perfectly suited for head nodding and foot tapping - none of this mosh pit walls of death malarkey. 'Ripple The Water' promotes a more arrogant stance, with its heavy hitting guitars and more up front and in your face rhythm. Stargazery are marching the melodic metal motorway with total aplomb, confident in their ability, and delivering the kinda o' metal that is gonna also appeal to the hard rock diehards. And oops, just for a few seconds as 'I Found Angels' began, I thought I was listening to one of the songs from Metallica's 1991 black album...only a few seconds mind. Stargazery take us on a journey through ballad land with 'I Found Angels' - a meandering walk of swaying and lighters held aloft. In concert, I can imagine the entire audience will be singing along to this one - and what a sight that will be to hear, err, see.... Whoa crikey! Where did this pace come from? The title song 'Constellation' is a fast paced and speedy gallop, totally the opposite of what has gone before. The pace is scorching hot, with Stargazery entering the "foot on the monitor" zone of heavy metal. This is definitely head banging time, and also marks the mid point of the album.    
             
Chugging into life with an accompanying Van Halen-esque keyboard passage, 'Caught In The Crossfire' returns the album to its mid paced melodic roots - although head nodding and foot tapping will be of the more vigorous nature as 'Caught In The Crossfire' is fairly punchy with a lot of crunch. Running perilously close to ballad land again, 'Dark Side Of The Moon' is a foot stomping mid tempo anthemic march. The pace is ballady, but the heaviness oozing from 'Dark Side Of The Moon' will extinguish the flames of any lighters held high. An epic and theatrical feel greets you as 'In My Blood' begins, adopting a slow pace as it progresses, keeping the theatrical feel as it wanders on. At times, 'In My Blood' swings in the direction of hymn-like, holding its head high as it walks tall, and most certainly, very proud. And the hymn-like feel is carried into the final song 'Raise The Flag'. A truly majestic and swaggering epic, reminding me of 'Wings Of Heaven' era Magnum - the pomp and atmospheric hard rocking of the British rockers making its presence felt, as 'Raise The Flag' brings down the curtain on forty four minutes of gloriously melodic heavy metal.    
             
Overall, a mid paced melodic march, 'Constellation' is chock full of infectious and addictive head nodders that will create smiles a mile wide all around the world.    
             
             
Review by Iron Mathew Collins    
             
Reviewed for Pure Steel Records    
             
             
Top