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Conquest - Empire review



Reviewer:
8.0

17 users:
8.41
Band: Conquest
Album: Empire
Release date: 2009


01. In The Darkness
02. It Begins From Your Heart
03. Far Beyond
04. Prisoner Of The Universe
05. We Have Returned
06. When The Skies Fall
07. We Are The Ones
08. Faith Within
09. The Never-Ending Quest Will End
10. Empire

It's always cool to discover bands from the east of Europe. In general they're more oriented toward Folk and Pagan directions but Power and Heavy Metal seem to be popular there so it's not so uncommon to get something to review in this category. The Russian label Metalism produces lot of bands from the ex-soviet countries and one of their last productions is Empire the third album of Conquest an Ukrainian Power Metal band which clearly doesn't avoid any clichés in its music but which surprised me a lot with this release. True this is pure Euro Power but the riffs and melodies clearly rock!

If you wanna hear how Empire sounds, just have a look on the song "Far Beyond" and it will be a perfect example to show you how is the music of this band. This is classic Euro Power Metal which doesn't avoid any clichés of the genre, Conquest is like a mix of Sonata Arctica, Helloween and even the "new" [band]Angra[/b] for the really fast tempo in the music. Though despites the fast riffs and double-bass drums frenetic beats the music is really addictive, and obviously the compositors know how to write catchy tunes! The keyboards is always present and play little melodies which will stay in your mind, the guitars solos are solid no doubt Conquest is a good band in the genre and their third album is an excellent surprise. Sure you'll have to be into Power Metal to enjoy this album which will never convince the ones who cannot stand this kind of music but if you like Power with really good melodies, this release is a must!

What is also surprising with this release is the production which doesn't have to suffer of any comparison with what we can find in Germany or Scandinavia. The album is really well recorded and the mixing is not bad at all! Ok the drums maybe sound a bit too much electronic sometime but despite this little problem everything is perfect. Even the musicianship is solid and at least finally, keyboards are not here for nothing! W .Angel's voice can be a bit out of tune sometime but here again this is not so problematic, the great melodies removing all this little problems!

If you're into classic mega melodic European Power Metal, Empire is a must! From the beginning to the end, the album features excellent catchy songs with great tunes. Oki, this is something only for the aficionados of the genre but objectively speaking Empire is a great album. Don't wait anymore time to listen to this album if listening to Power Metal is one of you vocations.


Rating breakdown
Performance: 8
Songwriting: 8
Originality: 6
Production: 8

Written by Jeff | 27.12.2009




Comments

Comments: 3   Visited by: 92 users
27.12.2009 - 18:26
Ellrohir
Heaven Knight
I quite enjoyed their "Frozen Sky" album from 2005...

but "Far Beyond" doesnt fit me somehow
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My rest seems now calm and deep
Finally I got my dead man sleep


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28.12.2009 - 17:35
Rating: 8
Ag Fox
Angel No More
Thanks, will find out more about them
edit:
checked them out. great review, Jeff! The riffs are great. It's been some time I've enjoyed new Power Metal material, so it's a nice recommendation
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loves 小巫
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03.01.2010 - 12:34
Rating: 9
Warman
Erotic Stains
Hey Conquest! Let me ask you Jeff, is there any song on that album as catchy as their song "Frozen Sky"??? 'Cuz that song is kicking major ass!
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