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5 Excellent - Masterpiece. A classic.
4.5-4 Great - Almost perfect records but there's probably a lacking.
3.5 Good - Most of the record is good, but there may be some filler.
3 Average - Some good songs, some bad ones at about a half/half ratio.
2.5-2 Fair - Worth a listen, but best obtained by collectors.
1.5-1 Bad - Major problems with music, lyrics, production, etc.
0 Terrible - Waste of your life and time.

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Band
Artension
Title
New Discovery
Type
LP/EP
Company
Frontiers
YOR
2003
Style
Power
Popular Reviews
10/29/2003 - Review by: Frank Hill
It's like having a Porche and only driving it the speed limit
Artension - New Discovery - 2003 - Reviewed by Nailer

Track Listing
1) New Discovery
2) Remember My Name
3) Innocence Lost
4) The Last Survivor
5) Hearts Are Broken
6) Symphonic Expedition
7) Endless Days
8) Call Of The Wild
9) Story Teller
10) Endless Days (radio edit)

The word 'artension' isn't in the dictionary, but if it was I'm sure it would say "relaxed; a state of smiling comfort".

Artention plays the most optimistic music I've heard with lyrics that include words like "discovery" and "dream" and "future". This isn't eaxctly the antithesis of dark metal that you get from the Jesus-worshippers, but it does compare to traditional metal the way "The Cosby Show" is to other TV shows.

I wasn't surprised to see that Vitalij Kuprij was involved since "New Discovery" sounds very similar to Marc Boals' band Ring of Fire and his 2002 release "Dreamtower", except that the songs are tighter and more easy to listen to.

John West has a really good voice that's similar to Joe Lynn Turner from back in Rainbow's "Street of Dream" days. He just never streches out those vocal chords and the same could be said for all of the instrumentation. It's like having a Porche and only driving it the speed limit.

I think that all of the songs could have had the solos clipped to match the radio edit of "Endless Days". I know that it's Vitalij's band and that he has a right to indulge, but all that melody gets boring when it's extended out so much. The radio edit was concise and catchy.

Rhythms from the guitar bass and drums are fairly speedy, but they usually stay in the the backgroud as just rhythm instruments. The keyboards carry the weight of the songs and are used in the majority of the leads, so the typical guitar-driven headbanger will probably write this off as boring, whimpy metal.

There's definately talent here, but c'mon guys, you make it sound too easy. Break a sweat next time.

Score: 5 of 10

--Nailer 10.29.03
  • 1 :REVIEW COUNT
    2.5 :AVE RATING

ALL REVIEWS FOR: ARTENSION
TITLE
DOR
COMPANY
 REVIEWER DATE MADE RATING
New Discovery
2003
Frontiers
Frank Hill10/29/2003
2.5

ALL INTERVIEWS FOR: ARTENSION
INTERVIEW INTERVIEWER DATE TAGLINE


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