HEAVENLY - Sign Of The Winner
September 18, 2001, 23 years ago
(Noise)
Sophomore effort by France's entry in the power metal sweepstakes. Actually, this title probably should have been used for the debut, as Heavenly were awarded a recording contract with Noise through a contest on the label's website. Catchy, cheerful and upbeat, 'Break The Silence' opens the disc with a full-length instrumental, complete with piano and orchestral strings. Throughout the ten tracks, uncredited synthesizer nicely fills the spaces of an otherwise thin (especially live) one guitar sound. With no proper ballads, the tempo stays at eight or better for the entirety, even the a cappella-begun 'The World Will Be Better', which quickly kicks into gear, after the stratospheric screech which would seem to portent a ballad. 'Condemned To Die' is built around a spirited guitar break, otherwise, it's dominated by several vocal octaves. A two minute 'The Angel' employs a male/female choir, backed by speedy harpsichord, while the rasp of snare drum and tolling bells greet the galloping 'Still Believe'. Heavenly are for fans of Edguy, with whom the Frenchmen will tour later this year, Stratovarius and Keeper-era Helloween; that is metalheads who like melodies with a pop sensibility.
