Band:	Skyfire
Album:	Spectral
Style:	Extreme power metal
Release date:	May 21, 2004
A review by:	Malcolm

01. Conjuring The Thoughts
02. Effusion Of Strength
03. Shivering Shade
04. Cursed by Belief
05. Awake
06. Void Of Hope
07. A Dead Man's Race
08. Shadow Creator
09. Tranquillity's Maze
10. Patterns [Korean bonus]
11. Skyfire [Live at Pusan Rock Festival 2003] [Korean bonus]
12. Mind Revolution [Live at Pusan Rock Festival 2003] [Korean bonus]

Yet another MeloDeath release from Sweden, hurray, you couldn't be happier, right?
But before you stop reading because you're tired of all these MeloDeath bands or just think In Flames/Children of Bodom/Dark Tranquillity is the only bands you'll need, I think you should really go on reading, because if you're a fan of those three mention bands, this is definitely something for you.

The story of Skyfire started in the town Höör in the North/south/east/west of Sweden in a day in 1995 when the four Swedes Anders Edlund (Guitars & Keyboards), Martin Hanner (Guitars & Keyboards), Jonas Sjögren (Bass) & Tobias Björk (Drums) started a band together.
And when the time came to record the first Demo, the band was looking for a singer, and in time the found a guy named Mattias Holmgren. The demo was recorded in December 1997, and was given the name "Within Reach".
For the second demo, "The Final Story" the band decided to be more aggressive, since they thought their first demo was to soft and wasn't satisfied with it.
But for doing the second demo, the singer was replaced, Mattias wasn't the guy for the material and a new singer was found, Henrik Wenngren, a guy for a voice perfect for the visions the band had.
After some time Skyfire was signed with the Dutch label Hammerheart, and soon after the debut was recorded with Tommy Tägtgren in the studio Abyss, "Timeless Departure" was created, and later released in March 2001.
And in 2003, the successor was released, "Mind_Revolution" was the name and the place for the recordings was the same as the debut. Now Skyfire has signed with Spanish Arise Records, and the third album, "Spectral" is released.

As I mention, fans of In Flames, CoB & Dark Tranquillity will be pleased with this piece of plastic.
Since the music in overall is oozing In Flames and the keyboard is more CoB and vocally I think Dark Tranquillity is closest, this is a perfect mix between the bands, and I bet that this would be what we got if those three bands decided to create a band together.

Personally I'm getting really tired of all types of MeloDeath these days, both the older and newer bands, I mean, the new In Flames isn't even close to what they did 4-5 years ago, but CoB is still doing great, and Dark Tranquillity haven't I listen to much on so. But Skyfire surprised even me, after awhile, because this had to get time to grow, because after the first listening I was bored as hell, and shouted "Copy-cats" from the middle to the end. But after listen to it some more, and closer I kind of liked what Skyfire have done, the nice mix between more Finnish keyboards and Swedish guitar melodies is really good.

But overall I'm still not jumping up and down of joy when listening to it, but it's a pleasant album that I can, when I'm in the right mood (like when I'm on the bus home after a day at work) when listen to it, find joy in. Not because it's original, because it's not, but because they guys have talent and can really handle their instruments, and write good songs. And with a production so clear (recorded in Los Angered (Drums) & Studio Underground) that it's a delight for the ears to listen to it.

So all fans of MeloDeath like In Flames and Children of Bodom, this is a present for you, I think you'll find it even better than what In Flames done lately (assuming that you're a fan of the good old times) and maybe you'll find a new band you can follow through the years. I know I will keep my eyes open, because Skyfire at least got the talent to save the genre.

Favourite Songs: "Void of Hope", "Effusion of Strength" & "Shivering Shades" (Sounds like a Nighwish song in the beginning, strange huh?).