ONWARD - Reawaken
March 10, 2002, 22 years ago
(Century Media)
Sophomore effort from highly touted power metal outfit, whose Evermoving debut was decent, yet lackluster. Saw them play 'Clockwork Toy' by Loudness, at the inaugural ProgPower USA and said track is reproduced here. Toby Knapp is a talented guitarist, a graduate of the Shrapnel roster, but like many a six-string maestro before him, can't seem to construct a convincing song around the plethora of riffs. At times, Michael Grant sounds like Warrel Dane (Nevermore), especially on the short phrases in heavier tracks ('My Darkest Room'). Knapp absolutely shreds on 'Where Evil Follows', but the disc ends on a down note: a cover, plus a mid-tempo Queensryche-inspired 'Who Saw The Last Star Fall' and the closing synthesized strings ballad, "The Next Triumph'.
