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Class 6(66)
Gamma Ray: Power plant
03/02/12 || BamaHammer
Introduction
I don’t always listen to power metal, but when I do, I prefer the good shit.
I totally understand that a lot of people don’t dig power metal. Hell, I don’t dig 99% of it. The overly happy and excited galloping verses followed by the raise-your-mead-and-sing-along choruses are just not for everyone. So, for those rare occasions when I feel the urge to nerd it up and listen to someone from that general region of the metal world, it has to be a band who is fairly light on the cheese and really heavy on the metal.
Now, Gamma Ray is pretty cheesy. However, they also write some really kick-ass pure heavy metal tunes while generously paying homage to their metal forefathers of the 1980’s who served as their primary influences in the process, and their 1999 release, “Power penis,” still holds up as an enjoyable heavy metal experience complete with catchy songs and memorable riffs to which you can mindlessly bang your noggin.
Songwriting
6. It’s hard to rate the songwriting on this album very highly when it’s so obviously influenced by other bands, but they do a good job of putting their own spin on the Iron Maiden/Judas Priest/Manowar/Helloween formula. A lot of the tracks are just good groovy fist-pumping headbangers that you’ll catch yourself singing along to within a few listens. For instance, simply thinking about this album makes the chorus to “Garden of the sinner” run rampant throughout my skull.
However, you can never shake the notion that large portions of this album are blatant borrowings from other bands, and I’m not just talking about the fact that they covered a Pet Shop Boys song (!) either. The lyrics to “Heavy metal universe” are exactly what you would get if you sat down and tried to write a Manowar song. Fans of the band will understand that it’s all in the name of tribute, but it is a little much in the end.
Production
8. If anything, this record is over produced. I do enjoy the overall sound of it, though. The levels provide a good mix of sounds, and every instrument cuts through the mix at seemingly just the right time. The bass and guitar, in particular, sound downright ace on every track. They both have a great tone for this type of music and sound great together.
Guitars
7,5. Richter and Hansen try their damnedest to be Murray and Smith or Tipton and Downing, and actually do a decent job of pulling it off for the most part. On the tracks like “Razorblade sigh” where they join forces to harmonize a lead, they actually sound pretty good, and that’s just a credit to the continuation of the chemistry the two built during “Somewhere out in space.” Their solos are really nothing special, but the riffs are tight and precise.
Vocals
4. Hansen has evolved greatly since “Walls of Jericho,” but his voice is still the weak spot in Gamma Ray. He doesn’t have the typical nut-huggin’ power metal scream, but instead sounds almost naturally metallic and tinny, which occasionally makes for a pretty unpleasant listening experience. Bonus point for randomly kind of sounding a little like King Diamond in “Razorblade Sigh” though.
Bass
8. Dirk Schlächter is an ace heavy metal bassist. He’s very clean and precise with his playing and never does anything too over-the-top, which is awesome for a guy who was originally a guitarist (and a pretty good one). He understands simplicity and his role in the music, an invaluable trait for any band-mate.
Drums
7. Once again, here’s a guy that does nothing overly flashy, but simply does his job well. Nothing sounds overly ambitious in terms of speed or technique, and the result is a very tight rhythmic performance that you could use to set your watch.
Lyrics
2. They range from Manowar:
We’re the masters of the wind.
We’re demons left in howl.
We’re the undefeated warriors.
We have heard the call.
To Iron Maiden:
He disappeared
In the early haze of morning,
And with him, left his prophecies.
They didn’t care.
And everything in between. Pretty unoriginal and annoying.
Cover art
2. No color is more metal than pink. Or purple. Together. The cover art is titled “Powerslave 2: The Wrath of Kahn” (Not really.) and was painted by Derek Riggs and features Eddie, uh, I mean, “Fangface” (Yes, really.) in a robe shooting lightning from his hands in front of a bunch of pyramids in a crowd of Egyptian statues or some shit. Once again, as original as P. DiddyDaddy.
Logo
8. I’ve always dug this logo for some reason. It’s sharp and angular and just looks exactly like the band sounds. You really can’t ask for more in a logo than to reflect the sound of the band it represents.
Booklet
7. This is actually a pretty good booklet just for the sake of unintentional comedy. The band photos are absolutely ridiculous. Each member of the band is photographed shirtless and blue with lightning bolts on their faces, and the group shots look like angry metal Smurf erotica. And mine is signed by the band somehow, so +1 point. “CHEERRZZ!:) (illegible Henjo Richter signature). Whatever.
Overall and ending rant
In the end, this album has enough charm to keep me coming back despite it being a little bit of a power metal cheese-fest. There’s nothing here that does anything remotely close to break new ground in terms of originality, but if you like good old-fashioned heavy metal with a healthy dose of classic ’80s flair, you’ll find some redeeming value in this album. If you hate everything about power metal, though, this definitely won’t be the album to make you put a little cheese in your diet.
- Information
- Released: 1999
- Label: Noise Records
- Website: www.gammaray.org
- Band
- Kai Hansen: vocals, guitar
- Dirk Schlächter: bass
- Henjo Richter: guitar
- Dan Zimmermann: Drums
- Tracklist
- 01. Anywhere in the galaxy
- 02. Razorblade sigh
- 03. Send me a sign
- 04. Strangers in the night
- 05. Garden of the sinner
- 06. Short as hell
- 07. It’s a sin (Pet Shop Boys cover)
- 08. Heavy metal universe
- 09. Wings of destiny
- 10. Hand of fate
- 11. Armageddon
