Band:	Celesty
Album:	Legacy Of Hate
Style:	Power metal
Release date:	2004
A review by:	Malcolm

01. Intro
02. Unbreakable
03. Dream
04. Breed From The Land Unknown
05. Army Of The Universe
06. Settlement
07. Shelter
08. Legacy Of Hate Part I
09. Legacy Of Hate Part II
10. Wickedness Act [Japanese bonus]

Celesty, a young power metal band from the land of thousand lakes, not so unusual these days. And with "Legacy of Hate" they release their second album, but I guess many of you already heard the first one, "Reign of Elements" was voted for "Best debut album in 2002" in some magazines. And Celesty was chosen as the "Best newcomers of the year" too. So it's success written all over these young Finns.

Celesty was formed back in 1998 in Seinäjoki, Finland, and from the first line-up only "Ari Katajamäki (Bass) and Jere Luokkamäki (Drums) left. In 1999 Tapani Kangas (Guitars) joined and at that time the first Celesty demo was recorded, but it was only recorded for private use, it wasn't sent anywhere.
They guys then started to look for other members to fill Celesty out.
J.P Alanen (Guitars) joined in 2000, and with him Kimmo Perämäki (Vocals) came, and the second (First official) demo was recorded in autumn 2000, "Warriors of Ice" and it was released in 2001. And soon after Juha Mäenpää (Keyboards) joined and then Celesty was complete.
Beginning of 2002 the second official demo was recorded, "Times before the Ice", and it topped the first demo and even gave Celesty a contract with Spanish Arise Records.
"Reign of Elements" was released in December 2002.
After that, Celesty had their first real loss, singer Kimmo didn't like the way the new album went so he quitted. 19-year-old Antti Railio joined and finished the vocals parts, and here we now have the second album from Celesty, "Legacy of Hate".

The natural question here is, "How does Celesty sounds like now, with a new singer and a direction the old singer didn't like?" And my answer to that is, "Different but still damn good".
The music isn't as power metallish as the debut; here the songs are a little darker and not so "usual Power Metal" as on the debut.
And with a new singer they music use to change too, but I don't think Antti's voice changed the music so much, because I can really think that Kimmo would have fitted this as much as Antti does. So you won't get disappointed because of Antti, if you are disappointed then it's because of the material that was written in a different way, more epic, aggressive, progressive touches, but still Celesty.

But I don't think people that liked the debut will have so much against this, because it's more original than the debut. (It's not very original, but if you compare to the debut, it is), and the "new" style is pleasing me more than the "old", and I find Celesty a better band today than they where before.
And the cover art, how can they? I mean, the debut had a wonderful cover art, but this is damn much better, OMG what a beautiful one.

And this is also some kind of concept album, a Fantasy theme (surprise surprise) about two peoples, one woman and one man (I guess) and their son that's having some kind of a disease, and they have to use the power from the four elements stones and the magical sword (hehe, yeah, that's fantasy) and that's, shortly, what the story are about. My guess is that's a follow-up to the story from the first album, but I'm not sure, but it's my guess.

Overall this is a very good release, not a masterpiece, but what band does a killer as a second album? Not many.
But here is potential, and I'm sure Celesty will be one of the biggest Finnish Power Metal bands in a few years, so to both Stratovarius (btw, Antti sounds just like Koti in the song "Shelter", just so you know) & Sonata Arctica, watch you backs!

Favourite Songs: "Dream", "Breed From the Land Unknown", "Army of the Universe" or another of them, it's so hard, since the album is so good.