NEW HORIZON: Conquerors (HEAVY METAL): review / opinion to read on Music Waves

Two years ago, Jona Dee, keyboardist with H.E.A.T. and Crowne, presented his New Horizon project, offering Erik Grönwall the frontman position. "Gate Of The Gods", the new combo's first effort, appealed not only to fans of the Swedish band and its energetic singer, but also to fans of warlike heavy metal. Unfortunately, attracted by Skid Row 's invitation to take the microphone, the vocalist suddenly deserted the ranks of his recent bandmates. While this association was unfortunately episodic, his health having forced him to abandon the adventure, New Horizon 's continues against all odds with a second misdeed called "Conquerors" and a luxury replacement by the name of Nils Molin. The already busy Amaranthe and Dynazty singer allows Jona Dee to reconstitute a duo that he has chosen to position at the head of his creation. As with the previous work, the latter takes charge of strings and synths. We find three guitarists, including Love Magnusson of Dynazty, and drummer Georg Härnsten Egg, his usual partner.

Listening to the album, the first impression is that the stylistic approach has been strengthened. Molin's voice, adapted to the power that marks the compositions of his two other bands, and therefore more metal-formatted than Grönwall's, is no stranger to this. Complementary to this, the drums here seem more aggressive.

'Against The Odds' kicks off the proceedings with double-pedal power and epic melodic flights propelled at the speed of a galloping thoroughbred. 'King Of Kings', with its deceptively religious opening and church organ, swiftly shifts into a metal ambience. Occasionally, the pace slows and the melodies approach those of H.E.A.T.'s galvanizing, as on carriers 'Daimyo' and 'Apollo'. But the angry intentions are more frequent and eventually wearying, the repetitiveness of the musical lines, especially on the choruses, becoming too obvious. The accumulation of notes and the rhythmic frenzy become too insistent, cluttering up the space and making for exhausting listening. 'Before The Dawn', the ballad with Elyse Ryd (Amaranthe), does nothing to counter this blatant lack of originality, nor does the all-too-faithful cover of Iron Maiden's 'Alexander The Great'.

This "Conquerors" is unlikely to attract many people in its wake, as it is forgotten as quickly as it was listened to. We can't accuse New Horizon of lacking punch, but the band lacks imagination here, serving up compositions too conventional to arouse more than fleeting interest - Official website

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