CELLADOR - Enter Deception
July 17, 2006, 18 years ago
(Metal Blade)
Just another power metal release? No way. First off, death metal player/producer Erik Rutan and metal legend Brian Slagel have their names ascribed as producer and executive producer respectively. Further, Cellador hail from the decidedly non-European city of Omaha, Nebraska, so right off you know that there’s potential for something different here. Laser hits disc and 44 minutes later initial thoughts have been confirmed – Cellador is a most unique power metal entity. Sharing the manic energy and tempos of Dragonforce with catchy European style choruses, Cellador successfully bridges the gap between old/new and East/West. Not a keyboard in sight, Rutan’s excellent production places the rhythm guitar up front and very crunch-worthy, while the many extended lead guitar forays prove to be wildly entertaining and memorable, surpassing Dragonforce at their own game. Vocalist Michael Gremio certainly comes from the histrionic school of power metal singers, but he can also belt it out in Dickinson air raid siren fashion as well. This is raise-the-horns, air guitar-inducing stuff for those who prefer their melodic power metal fast and aggressive.
