Tracks
1. Cloudbreaker
2. Time to Rock
3. Of the son and the Father
4. Black Rain
5. Power and the Glory
6. Bride of Christ
7. New Revelation
8. Slay the Dragon
9. London Caves
10. Evil is Forever
11. Lionheart
12. Quisling
13. Testament of Rock
14. Victory

Band:
Nils Patrik Johansson – vocals
Joachim Nordlund – lead guitar
Joakim Roberg – Organ
Ulf Lagerström – bass
Johan Lindstedt - drums

Discography:
Of the Son and the Father (2003)
Evil Is Forever (2005)
Raiders of the Ark - EP (2005)
Astralism (2006)
New Revelation (2007)
Requiem Of Time (2010)

Info:
produced by Astral Doors
Mixed by Peter Tägtgren, Martin Haglund and Joachim Nordlund
Mastered by Vince Sorg, Peter Indebetou, Martin Haglund and Joachim Nordlund
Also appearing on this album: Mika Itaranta and Martin Haglund

Released 19/11-2010
Recenserad 16/11-2010

Links:
astraldoors.com
myspace
metalville

Sometimes you need to question the need for a best of record after having only released five records so far, one is an EP and one released this year. Astral Doors now have released one and it contains fourteen tracks of which one has not been released prior to this album, it is the last track which is a translation of a song made for the ice hockey team Leksands IF which resides quite close to Borlänge where the band is from. So even if they have done a best of record a bit early I still have to review this album, no matter how necessary I think it is.

Musically the first thing to strike me is that the vocalist sound quite a bit like the late Ronnie James Dio with the exception that he has a bit more annoying voice but the tone is quite similar, Jörn Lande is another singer that can be mentioned here he also has a similar voice for you who like comparisons. When it comes to the tone of music it is what is called power metal with melodic metal of the faster sort and with the assist of keyboards for atmosphere. The production is clean and well made as well.

I do think this record doesn’t feel like a best of album as it feels more like a decent metal album with no real standout music, there are a few tracks mainly the one called Quisling which are really quite good but it is not really enough to merit this into being an interesting album. I can clearly say that if this is the best that Astral Doors can offer, then I am actually very glad that I never spent any time trying to get to know them or listening to them before this album. Don’t get me wrong now, it is a quite good album but really, it is just that a quite good album and not a fantastic collection of songs that would constitute what I call a decent best of album.

Every time I listen to this album I sort of feel like the song Quisling is good, the same goes for Black Rain but then I find myself mainly bored and with a feeling that the band is a bit inadequate.

An unnecessary album that does not do anything for me really, I find myself probably more uninterested in this band now than before I heard this best of album. Musically it is decent though.

HHHHHHH

Label - Metalville
Three similar bands - Freedom Call/Dio/Wuthering Heights
Rating: HHHHHHH
Reviewer: Daniel Källmalm