Freedom Call
Crystal Empire
Steamhammer
There must be a German power metal renaissance going on this year, because the Fatherland keeps cranking out incredible bands who write great songs. Freedom Call’s album Crystal Empire is an amazing album chock full of songs about heroes who hit each other with axes and swords, far away lands where god-kings rule and all the princesses are good-looking and ripe for the picking.
That is to say, Crystal Empire is a power metal opera, set in a fantasy world created by frontman Chris Bay (commanding, melodic vocals) and percussionist Dan Zimmermann. According to the liner notes, Mitch Schmitt is credited with the voice of “Ramzezh and other Evil Voices.” Ah, good guys vs. bad guys with the prize being the women, that is good. The first song, “Freedom Call,” is the band’s anthem and comes on like a stampede of armored warhorses. That would be the epic symphonic armored warhorses. And that’s just about how each of the eleven songs pans out: riding into battle to win the day!
