Armory - The Dawn Of Enlightenment (CD)

Share this on Facebook | Share this on Twitter

This album was originally released in 2004 but failed to gain the anticipated publicity and the expected positive feedback due to the weak sound production and the amateur promotional packaging. ARMORY, the band from Townsend, Massachusetts USA believed that much to their music that they decided to re-record the whole album and eventually to improve drastically its sound. For his purpose they teamed up with Peter Rutcho who did the production and also joined ARMORY as their keyboard player. So, there we have it, the new edition of ARMORY's debut album that comes with a really good artwork and The Dawn Of Enlightenment as a title.
The album opens with the intro The Tempest that comes with an Epic atmosphere clearly marking the band's musical whereabouts. Indeed, the band from the U.S. belongs to the classic up-tempo Euro Power Metal genre in the vein of HAMMERFALL with the expected MANOWAR dosage. The keyboards add some RHAPSODY OF FIRE influences that fortunately stay superficial and don't adopt the Italian's point of view (you know what I am talking about).
The album contains straightforward Power Metal songs like the epics Faith In Steel, the twin guitar Warrior Forlorn, the fast Forged In Dragon Flames or Mystic Star with the excellent guitar riff that will stick to your mind from the very first CD spin. The rhythm section is deeply influenced by the old-school IRON MAIDEN galloping pattern while the high pitched powerful vocals can be characterised as classic for this genre and actually made thing I've heard that before. The band prove its worth in the homonymous song that clocks almost 14 minutes and comprises some very good guitar leads and solos that create the fitting battle and heroic atmosphere. I also liked the melodic guitar phrases and licks in The Eyes Of Time as well as the vocals that seem to do way better in the lower pitches and kind of add some points towards diversity.
The band chose to do a cover version on MAIDEN's Flight Of Icarus that left me completely apathetic since ARMORY added nothing new in it and just performed the song. I definitely prefer the second bonus and instrumental track Dr. Wily that to my ears had some from RUNNING WILD's pirate Metal atmosphere.
Overall, this is a very good album from a band that went through a most productive self-criticizing procedure that led them to the better sounding version of their debut album. So, if you are an Epic Metal fan and love the straightforward approach to it without the too complicated versions then go ahead and check ARMORY on their official page www.FaithInSteel.Com or their MySpace page here:  www.MySpace.Com/ArmoryMetal.