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"Guitar Hero Gus G. is the main attraction of "Stand United", which sees Firewind deliver its usual melodic Heavy-Power/Hard Rock."
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3/5
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Four years after a self-titled album that had fans of Greek guitar hero Gus G., and consequently Malmsteen, in raptures, Firewind are back at it again with "Stand United", whose cover is nightmarish to say the least. Does this tormented patchwork augur a diversified musical approach for this melodic metal band not renowned for taking risks?
At the risk of disappointing fans of conceptual surprises, the answer is no. With this tenth opus, the Hellenic combo doesn't stray off the beaten track, and if there is any diversity, it stops as usual at the heavy-power / melodic hard rock diptych. But in the end, who cares? What fans want from Firewind is six-string riffs and dizzying solos. The pact is honored here, but as for originality, you'll have to change discs.
Firewind returns to the business with the same baggage that made him such a success: muscular tracks where the guitar is king and the tunes - even if they give the impression of having been heard before - are destined to be shout in the pits. In this genre, the two opening tracks are worth their weight in gold. 'Salvation Day', with its 80s flavour, is a veritable steamroller, with its thunderous rhythm and its chorus reawakening memories. As for the eponymous composition, it's dynamic and delivers a unifying, heady chorus.
The majority of the other tracks prove less memorable, due to an impression of redundancy, less buoyant melodies and even lapses of taste, such as on the uninspired 'Come Undone', where the throbbing synth theme spins the eardrums. However, a few tracks do break away from the ambient linearity. These include 'Chains', which chooses not to overwhelm the ears and sounds like a good old MSG, the borderline danceable 'Talking In Your Sleep' (a cover of the Romantics' hit) and the nuanced 'Days Of Grace'.
"Stand United" is aimed at those who love guitar at all costs. Here, Gus G. pulls out all the stops, both rhythmically and solo. In the end, he's the main attraction of this opus, while remaining curiously non-invasive. Headbangers will enjoy it from the outset, but it's likely to blow over quickly. - Official website
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TRACK LISTING:
 01. Salvation Day
02. Stand United
03. Destiny Is Calling
04. The Power Lies Within
05. Come Undone
06. Fallen Angel
07. Chains
08. Land Of Chaos
09. Talking In Your Sleep
10. Days Of Grace
LINEUP:
Gus G.: Guitares / Claviers
Herbie Langhans: Chant
Jo Nunez: Batterie
Petros Christo : Basse
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(0) MIND(S) FROM OUR READERS
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(0) COMMENT(S)
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READERS
5/5 (2 view(s))
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STAFF:
3.5/5 (2 view(s))
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IN RELATION WITH FIREWIND
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