Band:	Wizard
Album:	Goochan
Style:	Heavy metal, Power metal
Release date:	January 26, 2007
A review by:	Bas

01. Witch Of The Enchanted Forest
02. Pale Rider
03. Call To The Dragon
04. Children Of The Night
05. Black Worms
06. Lonely In Desertland
07. Dragons Death
08. Sword Of Vengeance
09. Two Faces Of Balthasar
10. Return Of The Thunderwarriors

Ah, the new Wizard release. I've been waiting for this one for quite a while, so a few days after it was released I went to the city to my favourite CD shop and bought it, hoping for the same splendour as on the two previous albums Odin and Magic Circle. Did they do it again? Hell yes they did!

After a calm intro which introduces the setting of the concept story to us, the album begins with a killer track. Honestly, which heavy/power metal fan will be able to not sing along to this pure catchiness? "She is the witch of the enchanted forest!". Oh yes she is, but I doubt the forest is the only one who's enchanted, I am too. This whole album continues in the same great way. Awesome riffs, variated midtempo/fast drumming, amazing vocals, a few very melodic breaks, a few straightforward fast-hitting sections and a lot of catchy texts and epic atmospheres. Basically I can say that this CD has everything a heavy metal fan could want, apart maybe from an 'oldschool' feeling, but then again I personally don't really mind that loss.

What shines most for me on this album are definitely the vocals. Mr Sven D'Anna did it once more. With his voice alone he puts melodiousness into thundering metal hymns like "Call To The Dragon". He does more than just that though, actually there isn't so much that he doesn't do. For example "Sword Of Vengeance" features both shrieks worthy of Halford himself and growls. However every single musician here has great talent. Wonderful bass lines and solos or dynamic guitar riffs or solos, we get both here. Snoppi, the drummer of the band might be one of the richest in variation that I've heard in power metal. In terms of talent alone this album is definitely the greatest Wizard has done.

I personally must say I don't like it as much as I liked Odin, but I like it very much more then Magic Circle, which I like very much too though. But musically, like I said in the previous paragraph, this CD kicks the crap out of both.

Lyrically it revolves around the story of the witch Goochan who is the last resort of earth, which is being destroyed by a bunch of dudes from a different planet. Although they don't like to do it they don't have a choice, seen how their own planet is already gone. The story has been written by Volker, the bassist of the band, and is being made into a real book by a fantasy author at the moment.

So, time to sum up. Very catchy and extremely enjoyable, mostly fast-paced, heavy metal with the personal Wizard stamp on it. More technical then their previous albums and very catchy and epic sounding. The lyrics are a concept story which will be available as book soon and the coverart has been made by the same person who also did the new Blind Guardian coverart. The limited edition also comes with a (quite good) video clip for "Return Of The Thunder Warriors" and a making-of of the pictures in the booklet and the video. I can definitely recommend this album to anyone with a liking for heavy and power metal.

Highlights: all songs are very good, but "Two Faces Of Balthasar" is my favourite.