Maximum Metal Rating Legend

Dungeon - A Rise To Power 2003 Limb Music - Reviewed by EC

Track Listing1. The Prophecy 2. A Rise To Power 3. Netherlife (Black Roses Die) 4. Insanity's Fall 5. The Other Side 6. Stormchaser 7. Where Madness Hides 8. Lost In The Light 9. Life Is Black 10. The Birth: The Trauma Begins 11. Traumatised 12. A Rise To Power (Reprise) 13. Queen Of The Reich (hidden track)

I was really expecting generic, paint by numbers power metal out of this act. Lets face it, their names are Dungeon and they have a title called "A Rise To Power" for their new album on Limb Music. I'll admit the album cover really sucked me in (Dirk Illing rules!) after I saw it at a local music store. I said what the hey and shelled out my $13.

After playing this record for the 110th time this year, its really hit home that Dungeon are in a league of their own. For starters, there isn't alot of Heavy Metal Thunder Down Under...meaning heavy metal from Australia for the slower metal heads out there. Pegazus certainly comes to mind for that scene, and now Dungeon has thrust themselves on the wide metal fan base. With the newest album from Dungeon, "A Rise To Power", this mature act has established themselves as the next wave of good thought provoking power metal groups.

I understand that this act has released several albums thus far in limited quantities. I for one had never heard of the band until Limb picked these guys up. From what I gather out of this new album, Dungeon are really hell-bent on proving they can be the best in the modern era of power metal.

With great epic selections like "Stormchaser", "Where Madness Hides", and the fantastic opening title track, this band prove right away that they are not Helloween clones. This music offering is one tight, well oiled machine of intense metal gallops, icy cold at the heart yet red hot in speed and delivery. The chorus for the title track as well as favorite "Stormchaser" could have been taken right out of the Styx history books. Think of Styx classics like "Renegade" put in a Helloween blender. Get the picture?

"Netherlife (Black Roses Die)" sounds like fast paced Saxon, while "The Other Side" is pure Tate & company Queensryche. I love the modern influences of bands like Tad Morose, and Dungeon take what they can from the present, but add a huge dose of mid 80s era German power and speed metal. Lord Tim's vocals sound alot like Tad Morose' frontman Urban Breed, which is a big plus in my book. The group also take time out to cover Ryche's "Queen Of The Reich" in grand fashion, and also stop to do a tribute to black thrash with "Traumatised", which is a big surprise considering this band plays classic traditional metal.

I expect big things from this band now that they are on a respectable label. Limb are doing great things right now and soon you might be able to pick these albums up at your local K-Mart. No kidding, I've seen Limb stuff in several different shopping malls here on the east coast of the US. Funny what you might run into these days.

Pick this one up for more than just another cool album cover!


--EC 12.02.03