Band:	Scanner
Album:	Hypertrace
Style:	Power metal
Release date:	1988
A review by:	omne metallum

01. Warp 7
02. Terrion
03. Locked Out
04. Across The Universe
05. R.M.U.
06. Grapes Of Fear
07. Retaliation Positive
08. Killing Fields
09. Wizard Force [bonus]
10. Galactos [japanese bonus]

Omne, I hear you ask, if someone queries a maths equation, does that make them a maths debater?

Well, let me explain by saying that the reputation of Noise Records as a seal of quality on albums, built through releasing records from the likes of Celtic Frost, Helloween and Voivod, extended to Scanner's debut Hypertrance, an album that seemingly never got the attention it deserved as a classic album, let alone a classic concept album. Scanner found a sweet spot of their own between speed and power metal; not merely recreating labelmate Helloween's sound, Hypertrance was a solid example of the style's effectiveness.

Scanner were an ambitious band to say the least, with the sci-fi theme of Hypertrance not limited to concept alone; in many a moment, it bleeds over into the music. "Terrion" is the first example of this you will encounter as you go through the album, with the vocals and instrumentation utilized to great effect. This cross-pollination is perhaps why Hypertrance manages to keep that tightrope balance between being a concept album and being an enjoyable piece of music. Indeed, even the gang chanting in "Locked Out" fits into the piece of music as a whole, whereas these kinds of break often feel incongruous on concept albums.

Managing to maintain this dual equilibrium between speed/power metal and concept/enjoyable music is something that is handled with aplomb by Scanner. Knoblich (bet he had fun with British audiences) is a versatile vocalist, and one that can handle the power metal style of "Across The Universe" just as well as the pounding "Warp 7". The same can be said of Julius and Sopha, who, through their use of effects like on "Grapes Of Fear", add to the sci-fi theme as well, not leaving it solely to Knoblich.

The band are ably assisted in balancing these disparate parts through the production work of Bornemann, who manages to make everything sound crisp and vibrant, despite the fluctuating utilisation of differing elements in the band's sound. "Retaliation Positive" is perhaps the crowning achievement, with such a varied track being presented coherently when it is easy to imagine it falling apart.

If I was to find fault with Hypertrance, it's perhaps that it is too ambitious, overwhelming the listener at times to the point where following the narrative or the music is not something that can be done simultaneously. While this perhaps works in Scanner's favour as it means you have to listen to the album multiple times to hear the various nuances you miss on initial listens, it does mean that the full impact is lost during casual listening.

Managing to match their ambition with quality, Scanner produced a debut album to remember. Hypertrance is an addictive and daring album that will absorb those who give it the chance.