Maximum Metal Rating Legend

Hard Echo's last CD 'Traded Secrets' had a style that was fairly derivative of the more progressive and obscure Iron Maiden numbers like "Remember Tomorow" or even a snatch or two off of "Seventh Son". There are some little flashes of Maiden in the new 'Mouth of the Sun'--notably in some soloing--but on this effort Hard Echo comes into their own maturity as band. Their new CD shows them moving away from a heavily imitative sound towards a traditional metal that's loaded with pummeling, power guitar riffs and a production that recalls some of Metallica's early works. Most Valuable Player award definitely goes to singer Mark Arrington who reigned in an outer range that was sometimes abrasive on the prior disc. He's sings with such a tremendous amount of guts and glory, you'd the think the world's fate was at hand. The heart and zeal of his vocal performance really saturates the entire CD on all levels and pushes it past the last release by miles. Only thing missing from this release is another killer Marc Sasso cover.