Band:	Mesmerize
Album:	Off The Beaten Path
Style:	Heavy metal
Release date:	2003

01. Argos Died Twice
02. King Of Terror
03. Off The Beaten Path
04. Jail TV
05. Warriors (When The Battle Calls)
06. Pit Of Charming Snakes
07. Where Skye Meets The Sea
08. Doom Of The Darksword
09. The Ancient Prophecy
10. Overdoze
11. Gates Of Mercy

I just returned from the movies and saw the third installment on the Lord Of The Rings saga, "The Return Of the King" was amazing, returning home I was in the mood to write a review, so I took my pile of promos and I was ready to pick a lucky winner, when suddenly the pile slipped of my hands and all the Cd's went to the floor. In my hand there was only one Cd, one that had in the cover a very bad imitation of Gandalf from The Lord Of The Rings, of course, in a medieval landscape. It was a sign, today is the day that Mesmerize latest work will be reviewed.

I know this band, I have their prior work, and they play pretty decent 80's Heavy metal. This "Off The Beaten Path" is their third work so far, and I think, their best album.
The opener track "Argos Died Twice" (that's gotta hurt!) they deliver some good 'ol 80's riffing in this fast paced song, but next is "King Of terror" another great song with a catchy chorus that you won't forget easily.

"Overdoze" reminded me of Maiden, while "Warriors (When The battle Calls)" is more Epic and Power-metalish. Of course this album is a obvious evolution in their music but besides of more clever compositions, they offer nothing new here, so don't expect any groundbreaking album that reinvents the genre, just pure plain home-made Heavy Metal a lá eighties.

Mesmerize are in the right path, but still the doesn't convince me, they need to lower the cheesiness and turn on the aggression. If you like true heavy Metal, get this one, you won't regret it. In a nutshell it was a good listen, but the highpoint of my day was The Return Of The King, not this album.