Voices of Destiny
Power Dive

Alright, german Voices of Destiny is one band which second album I have been awaiting since the release of the fascinating debut album From the Ashes which I liked very much. Five H rating was given to the debut saying it was very mature and with really good song, so what about the sophomore effort called Power Dive which is the same title as the debut album by Gun Barrel for those who care about such details. One thing I do see as better with this second album before moving into the music is the cover artwork which looks better than on the debut, otherwise it is the same band as one the debut, the logo looks the same and almost two years has passed. Lets take a power dive into the music.

For you who know the band from before will recognise the style on this album, it is the same beauty versus beast concept as before with mainly Maike’s vocals but with a beast jumping in here and there much like a crazy canadian lumberjack jumping out from behind the trees (I hate when that happens). The music is catchy power metal with some symphonic samplings and a pompous disposition, quite polished and radio friendly sound making it rather easily accessible despite the growls. There is grandeur and power in the music despite the well polished sound, and it plays for eleven tracks and little over fifty minutes if you have the regular edition, the digi one has an additional track and fifty five minutes in playing time. I think you could say that it is a slightly more mature Voices of Destiny we have on this album.

Reviews for this albums hasn’t been many yet as far as I have found and they have not been overly positive, both for this album and the prior some reviewers complained about Maike’s voice which is their right as it is a matter of opinion even though their’s is wrong. I think Maike has a great voice for the music made by the band, another complaint by this same reviewer was that the music was too radio friendly which sounds a bit like complaining of a car because it has too comfortable seats or a TV because the picture is too good. A good and polished production for this kind of music is ideal and if that makes a sound that is suitable on the radio that’s great because then the band might grab some attention and sell some music and make money which of course is a big no-no in the metal community. I don’t think it will come to that though as the band is probably not known enough to get enough airtime to sell lots of music but one never know, their music could sell as it is catchy and good.

Anyway I was a bit disappointed myself after the first few times I listened to this album, the growls were just bloody awful and I still feel as they are not as well thought out as the debut, the album is also a little bit too alike the debut for me to be really pleased and it does not show much of what I was hoping it would after the great debut. So in a way it is a bit of a disappointment but it is still better than the debut with a better list of songs, and a little better sound as well, it took some more time getting into this album though and it is a bit on the long side, the debut was 45 minutes which would have been ideal for this one as well.

There are a set of really good songs on this album but the one that sticks in my mind is the title track, Dreams Awake and Untouchable which are three brilliant tracks that sticks in the mind. Overall though the album is not as good as I had hoped and there are better female fronted albums just released as well, Nightwish’s Imaginaerum and especially Niobeth’s Silvery Moonbeams are albums I would pick up before this but then again I would pick this one up before most of the albums.