Band:	Blaze
Album:	Silicon Messiah
Style:	Heavy metal
Release date:	May 22, 2000
A review by:	Malcolm

01. Ghost In The Machine
02. Evolution
03. Silicon Messiah
04. Born As A Stranger
05. The Hunger
06. The Brave
07. Identity
08. Reach For The Horizon
09. The Launch
10. Stare At The Sun
11. The Day I Fell To Earth [South American & Japanese bonus]
12. Motherfuckers R Us [South American bonus]
13. Steel [South American bonus]
14. Interactive Track [South American bonus]

Hated and scoffed at by most people when he was in Iron Maiden, and now congratulate as singer in his new band, that's not very fair if you ask me.
First of all, I did like what he did in Maiden. I really think he helped them a lot. Sure maybe he isn't a Bruce (Dickinson) but he is surely good and gave Maiden a kick in the right direction.
But anyhow, after the departure from Iron Maiden, the ex- Wolfsbane vocalist formed his own band together with some good musicians.
The band got the name Blaze; note that I wrote "band", because it's not an alter ego of the vocalist. No, it's a band, with other, permanent, musicians than just Blaze Bayley.

As mention, after the departure from Iron Maiden, Blaze formed Blaze and gave, in the year 2000, out the debut "Silicon Messiah" and even if no one really believed in the band, Blaze really showed everyone where the cabinet shall stand.
"Silicon Messiah" became a success and really placed Blaze high up in the list over both singers and songwriters, a place that he really deserve, even if not many wanted to realize that when he was in Maiden.

"Silicon Messiah" is a bomb, that explode on the very second you push play and goes in exploding to the CD stop.
All doubts about Blaze greatness are blown away after the first song, this guy (and his band) rule.
"Ghost in the Machine" is a really dark and heavy history, quite unlike the kind of music that Maiden stands for, but the music that Blaze is all about.
Following "Evolution" continues where "Ghost in the Machine" ends, with a dark and very heavy sound and with a catchy chorus. But they can't in anyway prepare you for what to come.

Track three, a 5:12 min long nuclear blast, the title track, "Silicon Messiah". I don't really know how do describe this song, I just can't find words. I hold this song as one of the best songs ever written
And it's not only the song itself, Blaze have never sung better, the guys (Steve Wray [Guitars], John Slater [Guitars], Jeff Singer [Drums] and Rob Naylor [Bass]) has surely never played better.
It's a killer that really earns the title, "Killer".

After that song, the album never gets the same, no track is really near that top it, but who really cares. The songs aren't bad either, all if full with darkness and heaviness, so much that Maiden never used on all their album since 1980. But that's Blaze trademark too, dark and heavy songs (at least here).
Songs like "Born as a Stranger", "Identity"& "Stare at the Sun" is the songs that get the highest votes from me, if we don't count "Silicon Messiah".

Overall it's a very solid album that even without the title track would get a real high score from me. A really price-worth album what ever you pay for it, a real "MUST-HAVE" in your collection. And it already deserves the title "Legendary".

Favourite Songs: A new Messiah is born, "Silicon Messiah".