When the Frontiers label started they became known for doing their best to bring back melodic Hard Rock and AOR bands in a time when those genres weren’t really popular. They did a damn good job too, so good that they actually managed to reunite old 80’s bands. Today the label is mostly known for bringing out shitloads of projects. Some projects are where they have the songs, put together an all-star band and record an album. Other projects are actual all-star bands writing and producing their albums themselves. And then there are the “related to…” projects. Projects where the label put together a writing-team, bring in a producer and try to emulate a now defunct band using at least one key-member to get that old sound.
In the latter category we have Sweet Oblivion featuring Geoff Tate where classic Queensrÿche is the template, another is First Signal where the AOR days of Harem Scarem are the key. Another is Archon Angel, one of the most successful related-to-projects. Here the key-person is lead singer Zachary Stevens who took over from Jon Oliva in Savatage in 1993. Yes, the template here is that version of Savatage, of course. The debut album Fallen came out in 2020 and did really well, so a follow-up was bound show up at one point – and that point is now. Personally, I liked the record while listening but it never really lingered for me and I haven’t given the record a spin in years. But as a Sava-fan, it’s always nice to hear Savatage related music.
Starting out on a symphonic and bombastic note, “Wake Of Emptiness” starts out down-beat, low-key and slow, quite atmospheric and it sure brings mid 90’s Savatage to mind. The tune goes into heavier territories but keeps the slower pace and is really a metal-esque ballad. The guitars are big and powerful and the keyboards equally big and dramatic. It’s a very good tune but opening with a tune like this is a bold move. Faster in tempo with an energetic pulse and an aggressive outlook “Avenging The Dragon” is edgy, pounding and heavy, a metal stomper that still brings on some theatrical drama. There are strophes of Savatage in the melody arrangements but not as obvious as in the opener. It’s a good song with distinct refrain. Maybe this should’ve been the opener.
The lead-off single “Fortress” holds more of a melodic approach. It’s way more pop-crafted albeit with a distinct groove and some biting guitars. It’s not AOR by any means and it flirts with some progressive works and at times it comes across as Savatage jumping into the Melodic Rock world. It’s direct and distinct with a big, catchy refrain and Stevens sings this more hit-friendly stuff brilliantly and it actually suits his voice. Very good. “Quicksand” on the other hand is way more metal-laden, faster in tempo, riffy and edgy yet with some big, orchestrated keyboards added for good measure. The striking rhythms invites to headbanging and the melodies hold water but that said it never really lifts and the chorus is on the underwhelming side.
“Away From The Sun” comes in mid-tempo where the verses takes a step back and brings on arrangements perfect for musical-theatre. The song goes into heavier territories with some more robust guitar riffage and a hard-hitting rhythm beat while keeping on the cinematic drama courtesy of the orchestrated keyboards. It’s quite bombastic on a large musical landscape with memorable melodies and a stellar chorus. Good one. Latest single “Afterburn” is slower and pretty much a dramatic, dark and heavy semi-ballad. It’s a striking and concise tune, very melodic but never cheesy or sugary and the chorus is spot-on. Very good.
“I Will Return” kicks off with a razor-sharp, classic 80’s Metal riff much in the vein of both Dio and Judas Priest. The tune goes off onto a heavy path in a faster tempo keeping the 80’s Metal style intact. It’s quite straight forward and isn’t especially comparable to Savatage at all. The melodies sticks throughout the song and the chorus is an earworm made of distinct catchiness. Good stuff indeed. The upbeat and punchy “One Last Reflection” is another straight ahead Metal meets classic 80’s Hard Rock stomper that holds clear nods towards Savatage’s earlier, pre-Gutter Ballet days. While that’s all on a good note, the tune is however a bit on the forgettable side, a song that just won’t stick with me and where the refrain leaves me cold and waiting for the punchline.
With “Bulletproof” Archon Angel takes a more gloomy approach with an intense darkness wrapping itself around the song. The doom-laden vibes are perfect for the song’s ballsy and powerful rhythms and the hard-edged guitars. The song also brings on a bit of proggy twist, some dramatic arrangements and an in-your-face powerhouse vocal-delivery from Stevens. Good stuff. On a straight ahead note “Shattered” is an 80’s Hard Rock stomper with poppy undertones. It’s quite heavy yet with easy-listened melodies that brings on a Melodic Rock touch. It’s also quite slick where the melodies are all good but feels somewhat standard. The chorus is catchy enough but sounds too much like one of the thirteen-a-dozen standard projects that comes from the label.
Closing track “Lake Of Fire” could very well be a 90’s Savatage track from the vaults albeit with a bit of a pop-sensibility involved. It starts out slow and sparse with low-key lead vocals as a ballad. It then takes on a punchier groove with a bouncy rhythm and some crunchy guitars yet with clean-cut keyboards. The melody-arrangements are all grandiose with large vocal arrangements that are all powerful and pompous – think Savatage on Edge Of Thorns (1993) and Handful Of Rain (1994). The chorus however takes the tune in a more Pop direction, very smooth and even radio-friendly with a distinct hook yet still carried by a Hard Rock foundation. A song of contrasts that works really well – a very good tune and closing track.
This is very much a sister album to Fallen where everything is recognizable if you’re familiar with that album. The biggest – and only, really – difference is that the inserted pop-flirts that wasn’t really there on the debut is more palpable here which is probably due to the involvement of Alessandro Del Vecchio. That said, it doesn’t sound like a standard Frontiers project thing at all. It’s a good album but it holds the same issue as the debut – it all sounds so calculated and it stands so clear that the songs are written for the purpose to resurrect 90’s Savatage. I really don’t mind that but I still question why I should listen to this album when the old Sava-stuff already exists. A good record though, well-performed and well-written and could easily work as a substitute while waiting on the new Savatage record.
6/10
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Tracklist:
1. Wake Of Emptiness
2.Avenging The Dragon
3. Fortress
4. Quicksand
5. Away From The Sun
6. Afterburn
7. I Will Return
8. One Last Reflection
9. Bulletproof
10. Shattered
11. Lake Of Fire
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