Band:	Phenix
Album:	Wings Of Fire
Style:	Power metal, Progressive metal
Release date:	August 2004

01. The Pilgrimage
02. Babylon
03. FireWings
04. Trial By Fire
05. The Fifth Dimension
06. Still Of The Night [Whitesnake cover]
07. Blood In The Arena
08. Rebellion
09. Still Believe
10. Time To Live
11. The Last Ride
12. Guardians Of Metal
13. The Quest Goes Ever On...

Phenix is an Heavy Metal band from France, and I must admit that I just discovered them through their 2nd new album "Wings Of Fire". And oh my god !!! I like true Heavy metal, I'm a real fan of Maiden for example, and Jesus the first time that I listened to this album I took a big kick in my ass. Manigance was the leader of Heavy Metal in France but for sure now we couldn't forget Phenix which goes directly with this excellent "Wings Of Fire" in the Nirvana of the Heavy Metal made in France.

When I listen to "Wings Of Fire" I really have the feeling that we are in presence of a real killer of Heavy Metal. The reason certainly come from the talent of the musicians who knew how to write excellent guitars riffs, excellent guitars solo all that with great lines of drums and bass, which do at the end great songs more than catchy. "Trial By Fire" or "Guardians Of Metal" for example are two excellent song which remember me the best songs of Iron Maiden. "Still Of The Night" a very melodic one is more in the vein of "old" bands like Black Sabbath or Deep Purple, more Rock 'n' Roll but however damn efficient. "Time To Live" is more near of Power Metal, and a masterpiece like "The Quest Goes Ever On?" don't need any comments excepted maybe the one which says that's it's just a "fuc%#$ great song of Heavy Metal !!!".
As you can see all the songs are pure Heavy but there is however variety in the way of writing of the band, and that's more than interesting to me. But the great point of Phenix is without any doubt, even if all the musicians of the band are excellent, the voice of their singer Bertrand Gramond who is one of the best if he is not the best singer of Heavy made in France. His voice remember me the one of Dickinson but however with its own originality and damn woaw, that's just excellent.
The only very small bad point with this album is maybe the production which is maybe not the best one that they could have, sometimes the mixing work is not perfect and the sound of the drums for example is not really nice sometimes. But don't worry this is not a real problem and I'm sure when I see the quality of this excellent album that it will be better anyway for the next one.

Nothing more to say, if you are a fan of Heavy Metal really this album is a masterpiece. More I listen to it more if find it great then you can imagine how good it's. Phenix, through this new album goes directly in the top of the Heavy Metal bands from France and I can just recommend you this band. They just need to have a great success now ["Wings Of Fire" will help them I'm sure ] because they deserve it. A must have?