PEGAZUS - The Headless Horseman
July 30, 2002, 21 years ago
(Nuclear Blast)
A colder, more exacting recording accompanies this latest offering from Australia's finest power metal purveyors. As well, the riffs are more insistent, galloped and quick-picking, Johnny Stoj writing like Eidolon crossed with Sinergy, putting a spring into the band's step that causes pure power groove track after track. But beware, these guys are unabashed power metallers, borrowing directly from Maiden at will (see intros to tracks 5 and 6), aiming straight at the middle of the pack wave of the latest Italian and German bands. Cool guitar tones, recurring harmony solos and dramatically enunciated old school vocals from Rob Thompson are additional pluses, as is 'Ballad Of A Thin Man', a tribute to Phil Lynott, nicely restrained and simple riff-wise with a lyric that somewhat unambitiously tells Phil's story by stringing together Thin Lizzy song titles.
