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Into The Great Unknown
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Into The Great Unknown |
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| Starchaser are a melodic metal band from Sweden formed in 2021, releasing the bands debut self titled album the following year, and sophomore album 'Into The Great Unknown' in 2024... | ||||||
| ...the band founded by former Tad Morose guitarist Kenneth Jonsson, with vocalist Ulrich Carlsson (Shaggy, ex M.ILL.ION), bassist Orjan Josefsson (Cibola Junction), drummer Johan Kulberg (Wolf, ex Therion), and keyboardist Kay Backlund (ex Lion's Share) - the bands new album showing a progression and elevation in terms of sound and songwriting. 'Into The Great Unknown' features twelve new songs across a highly infectious and hard hitting forty seven minutes, the thirty second conversational intro 'Stella Exodus' between the spaceship Starchaser and Space Control setting the album on its way into the great unknown - as the albums title song 'Into The Great Unknown' storms into life with tremendous energy and oomph! The band are in full flight here, galloping hard with one foot on the old school heavy metal monitor, the heads of every listener everywhere rocking back and forth in perfect harmony with the band! A head turner of an opening gambit, Starchaser march on with the much heavier 'Battalion Of Heroes', a feel of heavy, power metal rising high in the air as the chorus break comes alive with one hell of sing a long ability about it - one of those kinda choruses that in a live arena the entire crowd are gonna be singing along! What an in-concert moment that's surely gonna be! | ||||||
| A stunning double to create smiles a mile wide on the faces of everyone, those smiles growing even wider as 'Who Am I' charges into sight with a more hustle and bustle feel than either of the two previous songs, the iconic "metal gallop" making its mighty presence felt! And another sparkling sing a long-able chorus too, the Swedish five-piece ensuring every single listener, fan and follower feel included within the bands soundscape - terrific stuff from a young band with a wealth of experience as each musician on show has been, or still is, a member of other successful bands. And keeping near the heavier end of metal territory, 'One By One' maintains the phenomenal melodious streak running right through the heart of the album, 'Into The Great Unknown' (the album) one of the biggest surprises of the year in terms of the sky high infectious level, immense head bang ability, and sheer sing a long ability! And we're not even half way through yet - Starchaser roaring on with top shelf energy as 'Shooting Star' turns a little progressive in nature, the band varying the tempo and pace, changing through the gears at will to deliver a mesmerising march of melodic heavy metal. | ||||||
| I can't stress enough how sing a long-able the choruses are, the band creating a wonderful atmosphere of belonging, where every single listener provides backing vocals for the band - 'Under The Same Sky' maintaining the jaw dropping traditional come power metal onslaught! And here the sound of anthemic metal rises high in the air, Starchaser pounding the ground hard with immense force, wobbling walls and shaking buildings to their foundations! 'Into The Great Unknown' (the album) started good, got better, and is still getting better with each new song that passes by, 'The Nightmare King' taking flight with all the poise of heavy, power metal. The band are straddling a number of metal genres with 'Into The Great Unknown' (the album) opening up their music to a very wide audience - an audience that's been firmly hooked on the album since it began! I know I have, and I've no intention of going anywhere else right now - besides having a review to write, the music is so fucking good! And I wanna hear more, lots more, the band obliging by shuddering the ground with 'The Broken Empire' - the ground shuddering so much I can feel the vibrations from here in the UK! And I'm a thousand miles away from the band! | ||||||
| The energy and oomph from Starchaser has been relentless, just what the hell's in the water in Sweden I don't know! But whatever it is, it must have magical properties, for the heavy metal right here and now is fucking fantastic - 'War Is A Bad Place For A Good Man' raising the levels of elegance and majesty to new and uncharted heights, the iconic metal gallop making an emphatic return! The band once again change through the gears, 'War Is A Bad Place For A Good Man' proudly perched on the border wall between traditional, and power metal - a perch which Starchaser have occupied for most of 'Into The Great Unknown' (the album). And sending shockwaves spiralling around the world, 'In A Time Of Steel' chimes in as one of the best, if not the best song on offer, the sound of heavy, power metal shining brighter than a thousand suns as the band pound the ground harder than ever! And bringing a superb album to a close, 'Far From Home' is a minute and a half instrumental with a heavy sci-fi come outer space vibe that perfectly rounds off the album! | ||||||
| Overall, a stunning album chock full of infectious heavy metal with strong power metal elements and immense head bang ability. | ||||||
| Review by Iron Mathew Collins | ||||||
| Reviewed for Metal Gods TV | ||||||
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