Band:	Demons & Wizards
Album:	Touched By The Crimson King
Style:	Heavy metal, Power metal
Release date:	June 27, 2005
A review by:	Jeff

Disc I
01. Crimson King
02. Beneath These Waves
03. Terror Train
04. Seize The Day
05. The Gunslinger
06. Love's Tragedy Asunder
07. Wicked Witch
08. Dorian
09. Down Where I Am
10. Immigrant Song [Led Zeppelin cover]

Disc II [Digipak bonus]
01. Lunar Lament
02. Wicked Witch [slow version]
03. Spatial Architects
04. Beneath These Waves [radio edit version]

"Is it possible to see one day the release of a new album of the magical German/American combo Demons And Wizards?". Lately, it was one of the big questions of our little Heavy Metal world and the answer, we know it today, is "yes!!!". I have the luck, only 4 years after "Demons And Wizards", to have in my hand their new excellent album "Touched By The Crimson King" and don't worry fans, they're still the same great artists and no doubt that we will talk about their new release this year hooo yes?

At the first listening and especially with the three first songs, "Crimson King", "Beneath These Waves" and "Terror Train" believe me that you'll take a big slap in your face. Those three songs are amazing, catchy as hell and with a magical power that give you shiver. Like on the first album, some songs are really powerful and impressive but on the other hand (and it will be my only bad comment on the album) if the beginning of the album is really fast and heavy, the following and then the other tracks are a bit too slow and can even be a bit boring in comparison of the first three songs. That's not a big problem if you're a fan of ballads and mid-tempo music but if you was expecting something in the vein of the few "aggressive" songs of the first release of the band during all this new CD, I'm sorry but you'll have to wait some more years?

Don't misunderstand me however, "Touched By The Crimson King" is a good album, you all know like me that the guitars riffs of Jon Schaffer are amazing and that the voice of Mr Hansi Kürsch is magic and evidently that's still the case on this album. The production is in addition excellent and I cannot say the opposite, we have a damn really high level of composition on the album (and no need to talk about the quality of the musicians of course). If I add, that we even have a great and original cover song of the Led Zep's Hit "Immigrant Song" you can understand that we're in front of an album that is synonym of work above anything else.

At the end if you're a fan of the band that's a must but like with their first release I regret this lack of energy at the end of the CD. Why? I still don't understand but I must say it, that's a bit disappointing for me, because we all agree to say that we want ballads but not during 40 mins and personally I prefer their punchy songs? But don't worry anyway, the album is a good and serious release with some potential hits and I can only recommend it to all the ones who love the work of Mr Shaffer and Kürsch.