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Here are various reviews from LORD's releases. The band would like the sincerely thank everyone who has taken the time to listen to the albums and give their thoughts.
ASCENDENCE
Review by Goreripper, PyroMusic.net
It doesn't take more than half a brain to figure out that the Ascendence of the title is a resurrection from the ashes of that great Australian metal band, Dungeon. LORD is two-thirds of that band's final line-up and as can probably be expected, this is very much a transitional album, featuring a style, a sound and material that fans and followers of Dungeon would find pretty familiar.
The opening intro "Echoes of the Past" helps to lay that past to rest before "Reborn" rises up like the demon on the cover on a firestorm of loud, supercharged guitars. Right away then that typical Dunge... er, LORD sound is stamped all over this: the guitars are HUGE! As always, guitar freaks will be shitting their pants in anticipation of this album and with a couple of masterclass plank wielders in the shape of Chris Brooks and Mark Furtner helping Lord Tim out on a few tracks, you just know that there is going to be some spectacular six-string wrangling going on here.
Fortunately the songwriting is also firmly in place, and that means big, catchy songs with big, memorable singalong choruses. Indeed, LORD's formula here is the same that Dungeon used for all those years. At times, maybe almost too close a copy. For example, the main vocal melody lines from "Same Old Lines" sound, somewhat ironically given the song title, rather like that in "A Rise to Power". The comparisons are too many to list but in the end it doesn't really matter because LORD is really just a new beginning, as tracks like "Reborn" and "Legacy" point out.
"Rain" is the track where things start to get really interesting on Ascendence. Beginning with a nice bass intro this one opens fairly quietly with thunder rolls in the background before going into a nice mid-paced chug with some charming backing vocals from pop singer Tania Moran. Another thunderclap then leads into a solo trade-off between Lord Tim and Brooks that's worth the price of admission alone. Ditto for "Through the Fire" where they both seem to push each other to new limits of fret-burning. "Limb From Limb" is a fast, heavy and aggressive track that recalls the A Rise to Power track "Traumatised" but with a more believable effort on the shrieking vocals. The next track, "220" is merely an unashamed shredfest with Tim and Furtner apparently trying to melt each other's faces off. That gives way to the album's epic, "Legacy". Moran's vocals chime in again during the choruses here and it's a bit of a shame that the production doesn't really bring them out a bit more often.
No album these days is really complete without a bonus track, and on this it's a version of Pantera's "Shattered" with a slightly updated guitar mix from the one that appeared on last year's The Art of Shredding tribute album. This tidies everything up very nicely with a good, faithful acknowledgement of a prime influence.
In the end, Ascendence delivers everything expected of it, certainly no less and probably not really much more. In that regard, LORD could be criticised for taking zero risks with this album. If there is that feeling of safeness about it though, it can be excused for the moment as the band lays to rest the last vestiges of its past while laying a pretty decent foundation for the future.
Review by Amy Bellman, Heavy Metal Nation
“Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, and may the Lord have mercy on your souls…”, and so begins the journey of Ascendence.
For those of you not familiar with the history, LORD is half of what was formerly known as Dungeon. After disbanding at the conclusion of 2005, Lord Tim (vocals, guitars) and TY (drums) have returned, along with bass player Andy Dowling to release the much anticipated first “proper” group album under this name.
After the spoken introduction titled “Echoes Of The Past” it’s straight into “Reborn”. With an epic sounding chorus, huge guitar sounds and some driving double bass drum patterns, “Reborn” sets the bar high for the rest of the album. Lord Tim demonstrates the many different ranges of his vocal ability, and the whole band proves they can play pure heavy metal as good as the best of them. After just a few seconds you realise the anticipation for this album has all been worthwhile, and you are assured that LORD are indeed back in fighting form, picking up right where Dungeon left off.
Before even listening to “Going Down”, note the remarkably true lyrics. This is one of many things Dungeon fans will be familiar with. Upon actually hearing the song you will be tapping your feet along to this catchy track, and guitarists will be impressed by the dual guitar harmonies.
“Same Old Lines” is another catchy track, which will have you singing along to the chorus and no doubt be stuck in your head for at least the next few hours. This is a very upbeat track which showcases yet another vocal style of LT’s. The solos will leave you absolutely stunned.
Queensrÿche fans will rejoice at the sound of “Rain”, a slow, melodic song complete with a bassline intro and Geoff Tate style vocals. Just when you think this song is drawing to a close with the sampled sounds of rain, Chris Brooks takes it away with a guest solo. Due to the departure of original guitarist Mav Stevens at the end of 2006, LORD are still on their quest to find a permanent second guitarist. No need to fear though, for just one listen to “Ascendence” and you will be safely assured that in no way is this album lacking in guitar work. The enormity of the guitars is one of the first things noticeable at the initial listen. A few guest guitarists contributed solos on this album, and both guitarists and non-guitarists alike will appreciate the talent on the six-strings.
“My Own Way” has a very unique intro, however when the chorus hits, the memories of Dungeon come flowing back. TY’s drumming on this song also deserves a mention.
“Through The Fire” is definitely one to be performed live, you simply cannot hear that chorus and not sing along. Chris Brooks and Lord Tim both provide incredible solos once again.
A nice interlude appropriately named “The Calm” precedes the thunderous intro of the killer track “Limb From Limb”. This song has an astounding thrash influence, with harsh vocals and Slayer-like riffs.
“220” is a track that will leave every listener, guitarist or not, with their jaws on the floor. It’s like someone has grabbed a guitar and whacked you in the face with it. An incredibly technical 2 minute 20 second guitar solo played at 220 bpm, which is quite simply a guitarist’s dream. LT and guest guitarist Mark Furtner are lucky to still have their arms intact after recording this song. It’s quite easy to hear this song and be so overwhelmed by the guitars, but the drumming cannot be ignored. Behind this massive onslaught of guitar solos is an equally impressive drum solo taking place in the background.
The final track on the album is a confirmation that the legacy of LORD has begun. “Legacy” is a combination of everything that is LORD, and ends the album on an extremely high note.
Before the album draws entirely to a close let’s not forget the bonus track- a cover of “Shattered” by thrash metal heroes Pantera. This song was originally featured on “The Art Of Shredding: A Tribute To Dime” compilation album but has had some alterations, including redone rhythm guitars.
There is definitely great diversity on this album, no two tracks sound alike (with the intentional exception of Reborn and Legacy), meaning there is something for everyone. This album is a confirmation that the Ascendence of LORD has begun, and that the future will only bring even greater music.
Review by Pyro, Unrestrained! Magazine
Essentially resuming where Dungeon left off, LORD have continued the legacy whilst sonically steering in a more commercially viable direction without sacrificing their musical integrity. Safely combine equal parts traditional heavy metal, thrash, power metal, heavy rock and AOR with extremely fluent musicianship, torrents of melody, an endless supply of infectious riffs, great production and you have Ascendence. Clocking in at almost an hour, the 12-track album is a text book example of how to do this style of metal right – excelling most notably through the brilliant melodic sensibilities of the trio (plus guests) which will find the album appealing to a lot more than the typical metal crowd. Guitar freaks will salivate constantly at the tantalising riffs, ridiculous soloing and truly unique guitar tone, while others will latch onto the strong commercial 80s rock moments, happy to sing along sporadically. One thing’s for sure though, while LORD have played it safe, this is an album that is very consistent and well worthy of continuing the legacy.
Review by Brendan Crabb, Blastwave Magazine
It would be easy to label LORD’s ‘Ascendance’ as an album that feeds off the reputation of the band that came before it, but that would be incorrect. Two members out of this trio hail from now defunct Sydney Metallers Dungeon, but the “reborn” LORD have crafted a deliciously infectious album that covers everything from traditional Heavy Metal to 80s Hard Rock to AOR, also exploring some other bases in between that were perhaps never fully realized during Dungeon’s lifetime.
There is an overriding theme of respecting and learning from the past, but also looking to the promise of the future throughout ‘Ascendence’. Two songs in particular highlight this. The heavy, Dungeon-esque riffing of ‘Reborn’ ties LORD to the band which preceded it, but the lyrical metaphors contained within confidently point to new beginnings. This undeniably memorable song really hits home: multiple layers, busy double-bass work and grandiose melodies, all working together towards a common goal; to stick in your cranium for days. Closer ‘Legacy’ is also a treat; multi-layered guitars and vocal harmonies aided by a monstrous guitar sound, crackling bass lines, creative fills and an inescapable mood that makes this one of the finest achievements of main man Lord Tim’s songwriting career. It ensures the legacy is intact, and while largely autobiographical, still has universal meaning.
While Dungeon were often fond of their AOR influences, this album allows main man Lord Tim and cohorts Andy Dowling (bass) and Tim Yatras (drums) to indulge in these interests even further. The final Dungeon record, the appropriately named ‘The Final Chapter’ took a nice little dip into the 80s Hard Rock/AOR wading pool, but on ‘Ascendence’, they’ve dived in head first. Tracks like ‘My Own Way’ and ‘Through The Fire’ possess more hooks than a dozen game fishermen, and coupled with other neat touches (lush synths and choirs) makes ‘Ascendence’ a memorable affair. ‘Same Old Lines’ and the melodic Death-infused ‘Limb From Limb’ blend faster tempos (‘220’) and Thrashier leanings with infectious grooves, Hard Rock-style riffs, titanic choruses and tasty guitar interplay. The band isn’t reinventing anything here, but the ratio of catchy to less memorable songs is very much in the band’s favour. They also find time to throw in a blisteringly fast guitar battle on '220'.
One likeable thing about Dungeon was that they were never afraid to acknowledge their debt to their heroes, and this tradition continues with LORD. This is especially the case with the Queensryche-inspired, more downbeat ‘Rain’, the intro to which sounds like it could have slotted in as one of the more serene moments on ‘Operation: Mindcrime’ and no one would have been the wiser. The second half of the track could also have fit on ‘Empire’ without too much trouble. Combine that with a chorus that’s bigger than all three ‘Spiderman’ flicks put together and a scorching solo duel and you’ve got a winner. Touring with Geoff Tate and co. clearly paid off.
With great production values, informative liner notes and an extremely slick-looking presentation, ‘Ascendence’ is the total package, and I’m not talking about Lex Luger. If this album signals their ascendance to the Heavy Metal throne, then surely the next album will be their crowning glory. Stay tuned.
Review by Suncross, Metal-Rules.com
Broken Hill is a small desert community 1,100 km west of Sydney. This mining town has metal in its veins. It has the largest lead-zinc-silver deposit in the word, provided the location for Mad Max 2: the Road Warrior and given birth to Lord Tim, the founder of Lord.
ASCENDENCE is the best power metal album I have heard in a long time. Being Australian, they blend the finest of Europe and the US, mixing continental melody with Yankee crunch. The closest band to Lord’s sound is Mystic Prophecy from Germany. Lord is better. ASCENDENCE’s 12 songs contain sufficient diversity to keep the listener’s interest throughout the entire disc. The highlights include ‘Reborn’ which is a solid representation of where Lord is coming from and where they are going. This is about big choruses and tight, well executed songs that don’t overstay their welcome. ‘Through the Fire’ and ‘Rain’ stand out, not least because of the distinctive soloing from guest lead guitarist Chris Brooks. ‘Limb from Limb’ is huge, bordering on thrash with gang vocals and a throat tearing delivery. This deserves to be a classic in the live setlist. ‘220’ gives Dragonforce a lesson in frenetic finger bleeding fretboard fury and ‘Legacy’ closes the album in an epic manner with a poignant outro.
Lord really is a new beginning. The production is improved (although I’d like to hear more bass) and the cover art is fantastic. The entire package is completed with liner notes, lyrics and photos. I have only minor criticisms. I suspect that the introspective lyrics are meant to differentiate Lord from Dungeon. However, by the end of the album I felt like I’d signed up for a Tony Robbins motivational course. Perhaps the next release will be an opportunity to mix it up with material similar to Gallipoli and Curse of the Pharaohs.
Lord has delivered the gutsiest power metal album of the year with Ascendence. The Lord is risen.
Review by Turner, Encyclopaedia Metallum (The Metal Archives)
LORD's newest album, Ascendence, is surely one of the most highly anticipated releases in the Australian metal scene for 2007. And today I'm lucky enough to be able to review it. So in the interests of making it an as genuine as possible review, I've gone track by track - recording my thoughts as each song plays. And afterwards I'll comment here and there. So...
Echoes Of The Past: It's an intro. Spoken words. Consider the title of the album as you listen to this one, as well as the next track.
Reborn: Definitely a fast way to start the album - from the get-go it's a very upbeat track and it doesn't slow down much. The main riff and verses are reminiscent of Horror Show-ish Iced Earth and the chorus (while slower) is one of those nice catchy choruses that LORD/Dungeon excel at. The symphonic bridge is something new & unexpected which I think came out well.
Going Down: A more mid-paced track, this one pays a little homage to the band's AOR/melodic rock influences. It has a distinct groove to it - a real foot-stomper. Nice dual guitar harmonies and "whoa-oh" chorus. I'm guessing we'll hear this one in the live set once or twice. This may or may not be the "Steelheart" of the album.
Same Old Lines: I'm hearing a lot of European Power Metal in this. Mid-paced double-kick drums, catchy hooks and WEIRD vocal line - I haven't really heard Tim sing like this on any of his own songs before. There's a lot going on in here but it doesn't sound too cluttered. The solos in this one are worth a mention, haha. TOTAL David Lee Roth rip-off at the end though
Rain: Holy Queensryche! A slower, more brooding track that keeps building up then backing off to a darkish chorus. The guitar tone halfway through the solo changes, which tells me We've got a guest lead in this one - but who it is I'm not sure. Either way, it's nice and melodic, yet bursts into a (limited) shred-attack at times. Fits snugly into this one. Nice sampling of rain that I don't think actually stops at all throughout the song adds a classy touch.
My Own Way: Starts out as a fairly proggy track that somehow has a slight 80's pop edge (at least to my ears), but heads into a more standard metal verse/chorus type structure that kinda loses my interest. The chorus is golden though. Weakest track so far.
Through The Fire: Another hard-rocker. This one is real "driving music" - if you've got a decent car stereo (it's not just the doof-doof fans that do you know) then this one could probably be responsible for a speeding ticket or 2. Also, it's cliche but the way LT sings "FIIIIRREE" is metallicly perfect (yeah, i made that word up.)
The Calm: Reminds me of "Life Is Black" from A Rise To Power, though not as long. I would've liked to hear an extended version of this one, as I have a real soft spot for these "interlude" tracks.
Limb From Limb: Oh, so THAT's why the song before was called "The Calm", haha. This one is thrashtastic! This riff here is very Slayer. Woah, vocals! Sorry to make the Rise To Power comparison again, but this is "Traumatised 07". The lyrics seem to be of a more...brutal nature. Also, dive bombs all over the place. If this one appears in the live setlist then I can see it being a real crowd favourite.
220: Probably the slowest, least interesting track so far. If I'd made this song, I would've added a solo or something. ;)
Legacy: Double kick! It's a throw up between this one and Rain for my favourite track at the moment. It's completely nuts - amazing that considering there's so much going on with the drums, millions of guitars and vocal layering that it doesn't sound like one giant wall of white noise. dive bomb. The bridge of this song is by far my favourite part of the album. A very moody middle section with some tasty soloing over the top, followed by TY's shining moment. Seriously, this dude is a force to be reckoned with. As an indication of how good he is, I saw him record this part in the studio and it took him 2 or 3 takes at most to get this down. When you hear it, you'll understand.
Silent Jealousy: X Japan are basically unheard of outside of Japan, yet they're one of the biggest, if not THE biggest band ever to come from there. A faithful rendition of the original with that trademark "LORD" sound. Also the guest vocalist from Vigilante does it justice, however his voice could've been a little more "rough" IMO.
Ok so with a song-by-song run-down out of the way, I'll try and review the album as a whole. First thing I'll mention is the production. It's no secret that the budget for this album was minimal, and the finished product sounds like something that some of the highest-paid artists on say, the Century Media roster, can't seem to get...Enemies of Reality, anyone? Everything's crystal clear - considering the amount of guitar and vocal layering at times, the clarity is phenomenal.
No review would be complete without some criticism though, and here's what I have for Ascendence. It's main (and probably only) downfall is that it's a fairly "safe" album. Given the history of the band, it's understandable though. It's instantly likeable - the songs are catchy and well-rounded. It goes in new places (that vocal line in "Same Old Lines" for instance) to an extent, but doesn't venture too far from familiar territory. Particularly when it comes to the choruses, I found these new songs reminding me of older tunes and even each other at times. Of course you could probably argue that it's the band's "sound" and you'd have a valid point, but hey - opinions, eh?
Overall, there's pretty much nothing that can go wrong for this album; If you're already a fan of the band, this is another really solid offering from an impressive catalogue. If you're a new fan, you're gonna be blown away by the pounding rhythm/shredding lead guitars, lightning-quick yet tasteful drumbeats/fills, mature songwriting and want to find out about the band (I'm pretty sure the liner notes include a run-down on the band's recent history.) I'm a hard man to please, and I give this one a big thumbs up!
Review by Liam McKernan, The Fallout Magazine
To be harsh and blunt, when I put this CD into the player I was thinking that this album would be just a slew of songs from Dungeon's last two albums that didn't make the final cut, or just another Dungeon album. As usual, I was wrong. Lord's first proper
album as a band (debut album A Personal Journey was a solo project for Dungeon frontman Lord Tim) is more focussed on hard rock and AOR, in comparison to Dungeon's epic power metal sounds of the past. A lot of the songs are quite mid-paced (eg, the song Rain) and at times, contain progressive rock elements. The production sound of Ascendance is different to previous Dungeon albums too. The guitars sound much fatter and don't sound as "tinny" as previous recordings; the drums have a much bigger sound to them - similar to that of an 80s arena-rock album! It seems that songwriter Lord Tim has found his own niche sound in Lord, instead of creating another album that blatantly screams out his musical influences. Good luck to Lord, and hopefully their new career after the end of Dungeon will be a long and successful one.
A PERSONAL JOURNEY
Review by Lachlan McLeod, Sinister Online
Dungeon may be gone but the music of Lord Tim continues on. He is moving on with his solo project, LORD. While we await a new album we have the re release of the first LORD album A Personal Journey to tie us over.
To steal a line from Forrest Gump solo albums are like a box of chocolates you never know what you're gonna get. A Personal Journey at times was just like I expected while at other times the songs were nothing like I expected. When listening to A Personal Journey I found myself wondering what style of song would come next. The album goes from power metal to hard rock to thrash with ease. Some may think this is annoying particularly if you were hoping that this was Dungeon under a different name. I found the diversity refreshing as it shows more of what Lord Tim is capable of.
The highlight of the album for me was the instrumental Rainy Nights. This is the most mellow part of the album and while I liked this song I was thinking here comes a ballad. The song ends with the sounds of a car crash before launching into the much heavier Last Rites my favourite track from the album.
As much as I enjoyed A Personal Journey I hope the next LORD album is different. With Lord Tim having such an incredible voice it was disappointing to find 5 instrumentals on this album. I also would have liked to hear some death metal backing vocals on a few songs.
Overall this is a great debut solo release that showcases what a fine musician Lord Tim is. If you are a fan of 80s metal you'll find plenty to like here.
Review by Pyro, PyroMusic.net
Two years after the original 'A Personal Journey' was (finally) released, 'Lord' Tim Grose has George Lucased the album much the same way as he did Dungeon's 'Resurrection' earlier in the year, breathing new life into the collection of songs and recordings dating as far back as Tim's most recent wardrobe additions - 1988. As stated in the liner notes, Tim was happy with how 'A Personal Journey' originally turned out but his production skills have improved significantly in the last two years (along with his equipment), and it is immediately obvious. Right from the opening seconds of 'The Dreaming' the album sounds a lot cleaner, smoother, heavier and is much better balanced. Sure, the drum machine still sounds like a drum machine and some of the old cleaned-up riffs from the 4-track cassettes are a little rough around the edges but you must expect that from music as old as many of the people who will be listening to this album.
It's common knowledge that Tim is a fantastic guitarist and songwriter and that's what 'A Personal Journey' is all about. Lyrically the album (as the titles suggests) is a very personal affair, featuring content obviously not suited to the now defunct Dungeon. Musically it's all about the guitars yet the songs really sound like complete enties, not just a vessels to flaunt. Riff after riff, melody after melody, 'A Personal Journey' is crammed with 15 years of experience and growth as a musician and vocalist, plenty of virtuosity and shameless guitar masturbation. Furthering that last point, there are a few instrumental tracks included, and this 2005 special edition features the much requested 'The Duel' as a bonus track, pushing the album past 70 minutes in length.
The majority of Dungeon fans will find comfort and familiarity in both the vocals and guitar wizardry on 'A Personal Journey' while it will draw new fans in solely based on the lyrical content. Either way, as far as solo albums go this is a mighty fine (though imperfect) effort and the boost 'A Personal Journey' has been given with beefed up production makes it well worth investigating.
Review by Karyn Hamilton, ProgPower Online
Australia's own metal seraph, Tim Grose, has for many years been known under the lofty soubriquet of Lord Tim – and the frontman of Sydney power/thrash band, Dungeon. Bearing his alias, LORD is a solo album compiled of personal songs from his life, some from before or completely outside of Dungeon, and some which were intended for Dungeon but were not used for one reason or another.
Though this isn't Dungeon, some comparison is in order, as Dungeon fans will be first to seek it out. Foremost is the mood difference; where Dungeon albums are a glorious romp, occasionally silly with themes drawn from fantasy, this is introspective and fairly serious. A Personal Journey is strongly grounded, lacking that basic fun of Dungeon but possessing a certain reflective maturity – not surprising, considering the nature of the album and its purpose. This unfortunately makes it harder to digest. On the musical side of things, it's an early metal style which strongly reminds me of eighties Queensryche (particularly the vocals, which are very Geoff Tate-like at times – try 'Freedom' for an example); well-written, and with the moods nicely balanced, this is a very strong album. Also, expect a certain amount of self-indulgent guitar soloing, but this is a solo album after all.
The journey mentioned in the title is one of self-discovery, of facing and conquering one's own inner doubts, standing up for and believing in oneself. Well, I did say it was conceptually heavy. It opens with 'The Dreaming,' a fat-sounding orchestral [piece] mixed with heavily chugging metal, very bassy. This melts into the ticking clock, ethereal vocals and floating chords which are the beginning of 'Footsteps In The Sand,' setting the ambience before we get stuck into the chunky bass-laden song body.
Those who have heard Dungeon's rare debut, Demolition, will recognise a refined version of 'Reflections,' a flowing instrumental with some distinct neoclassical hints. Also listen for another of the instrumentals, 'Journey Through Hell.' This isn't one of the album's most enjoyable, but it is a very interesting musical soundscape, seeming to pass through several varieties of hell. The opening is one of grinding, mechanical torment, which shifts through a series of frantically racing guitar themes, heavy percussive passages and brief patches of sorrow; throughout there are snatches of wailing guitars in the background, winding through the music like screams of the damned.
'The Traveller' is another interesting one, medieval-themed and using harpsichord and string synths mixed in with the metallic guitars. Slow and strutting of tempo, it is a tale of defiance in the face of rejection. 'Behind The Mask' is what I'd consider the heart of the album, the most pensive and the most personal, and with some of the most beautiful melodies. The short and gentle instrumental 'Rainy Nights' leads into another favourite and the final track, 'Last Rites,' a panicky percussive piece dealing with death and the euthanasia issue. It has some impressive use of vocals, more melody lines to listen for (heavier this time) and solo passages; its final moments fade and melt back through snatches of song from the rest of the album, like memories passing, until we hear the clock from 'Footsteps' again which suddenly stops ticking – end of journey. Eerie.
This is a great album, though it does have that drawback of being a bit challenging. However, being nicely diverse, and a bit of a change from the usual gungho swords-and-warriors power metal attitude, it's definitely one to seek.
Review by Goreripper, LOUD! Online
The Lord in question here is Lord Tim from Dungeon and A Personal Journey is the solo project he has been working on, he explains in the booklet, since about 1992, with some of the basic material existing from a time even before that. Some of the guitar solos are early 8-track analog efforts dropped into an otherwise digital recording, and the care that Tim has taken to make this appear seamless has really paid off. A really trained ear could possibly tell, but most of us probably couldn’t and fans of cataclysmic lead guitar shredding probably wouldn’t care, either. On two of the four instrumentals here, Tim really shows us what he’s made of as a guitar player: the fluctuating, aggressive/emotive piece ‘Journey Through Hell’ and the homage to George Lynch, ‘By George!’, will stop any guitar freaks dead in their tracks. Those familiar with Tim’s work with Dungeon will know that his histrionic solos rarely exist just for their own sake and even here where it would be perhaps more expected if not excusable he does more with it than just show off, because Lord Tim knows how to write songs as well as blaze a trail of smoke with a guitar. The lyrical matter expresses rather personal feelings and issues related to the times they were written and there’s some quite deep philosophising taking place, with one track, ‘The Traveller’, a clever metaphor for the independent musician’s struggle with the mainstream. All this considered, however, A Personal Journey doesn’t quite hold up to the quality of a Dungeon release and it’s reasonable to assume that Tim somehow knew this which is why the material has ended up here. While the rest of the music is quite fluid too, the drums have that telltale drum machine clicking sound that, ever so slightly, detracts a little from the whole. This stuff isn’t bad by any means, however, and melodic metal fans should rightly go nuts for it.
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