1. The Book Of Heavy Metal (March Of The Metallians)

2. Into The Moonlight

3. The Sledge

4. No Way

5. Crusader's Anthem

6. Let's Make Rock

7. Tired

8. Chosen Twice

9. M.O.M.

10. The Mirror

11. Only For The Night

12. Unbreakable Chain

Niklas Isfeldt (Vocals)

Fredrik Nordström (Guitar)

Gus G. (Guitar)

Peter Stalfors (Bass)

Snowy Shaw (Drums)

review by Boris "Azrael" Witta ___               

There's one sad thing about Heavy Metal and me: I missed the 80s. To get a feeling how this big time was, albums like "The Book Of Heavy Metal" from Dream Evil are perfect. The band managed to transform the feeling, the atmosphere and the sound of the 80s into 2004. But it never sounds too much retro or antique, absolutely not, the whole album sounds fresh, powerful and honest. 

When I listened to the songs of "The Book Of Heavy Metal", bands like The Scorpions, Ozzy Osbourne, Judas Priest, Europe or Dio appeared in my brain. But to say that Dream Evil just created a Rip-Off would be very unfair, no, "The Book Of Heavy Metal" sounds like a sincere, a likeable and a sympathetic tribute to this years, when Metal had its biggest time. Let's have a look at the band, some faces are very popular.  First of all of course mastermind and producer Fredrik Nordström, who plays guitar. In his Fredman Studio, he produced bands such as Dimmu Borgir, In Flames and Arch Enemy and he's one of the best Metal-producers on the planet. On the leadguitar, we have Gus G., who also plays in Mystic Prophecy, Firewind and Nightrage and who is very young, but very talented. Drummer Snowy Show used to play in King Diamond and is now part of Mercyful Fate and Notre Dame. Niklas Isfeldt, the singer, has a fantastic voice and is able to perform the whole spectrum of Metal/ Rock - singing, from head-voice to very deep vocals, which are perfect for emotional ballads. Important is also, that it's easy to hear the bass, and there are also some great parts which consist of vocals and bass only. 

I think it's time now to talk about the songs. First of all the titletrack "The Book Of Heavy Metal (March Of The Metallians)", which shows an important element of Dream Evil: The clichés. On this album, the band uses every cliché from Rock and Metal, but again, it never sounds stupid or boring, no, it fits very well to the old-school sound. And what should Dream Evil sing and play about? Flowers and the warm sunshine?! I don't think so. Back to the song: It's a great, pounding midtempo-hymn, and you if you don't raise your fist, if you don't bang your head and shout the chorus to this song, you're not Metal. Niklas Isfeldt shows some fantastic high screams and the song spreads kind of a Stadium-Rock-feeling, and it's not the only song on "The Book Of Heavy Metal" which gives this feeling to the listener. "Into The Moonlinght" is "softer" and Mats Olausson, who used to play with Yngwie Malmsteen, appears as a guest musician with great, melodic and beautiful keyboard-arrangements. It's one of my favorite songs, most of all because of the vocals during the verses, man, I just like this, and the song contains a great and powerful chorus. "The Sledge Of Rock" is short and the most unspectacular song on the album, which doesn't mean it's not good, the riffs are great and also the chorus is cool. 

Let's come to another highlight: "No Way". This song sounds more like Ozzy and Zakk Wylde than Ozzy and Zakk ever sounded themselves. Here, Andy Alkman (what a name!)  from Hellfueled sings, and he just sounds like the good old Madman. A fantastic chorus again, with the vocal-line "No way - it won't happen - Rock'n'Roll will never die!". Great statement! As I said before, sometimes Dream Evil sound a bit like The Scorpions, most of all during the song "Crusader's Anthem". Like most of the songs on "The Book Of Heavy Metal", also this one contains a great hookline and an in-the-ear-going refrain, again with a choir. It's slower than the crusher "No Way". 

"Let's Make Rock", again an ultimate title, sounds like the Metal Gods, called Judas fuckin' Priest and the Intro-riff reminds me to "Bloodstone" from the "Screaming For Vengeance"-album. A song which spreads the power of dirty and the message: "Let's Make Rock - what are you waiting for?". The drumbeat is excellent and the guitar-harmonies seem to be written from K.K. Downing and Glen Tipton. Great, the sound of chains and leather!

There are also two ballads on "The Book Of Heavy Metal", namely the last song "Unbreakable Chain", which is very silent, with acoustic parts and an explosive refrain, and "Chosen Twice", which has the absolutely best chorus on the album, it's a sad, a beautiful-melancholic song, full of emotions and kind of thoughtful, ennobled by great, majestic and epic, a bit orchestral sounding parts. 

"M.O.M." is the contrary, it's very hard, again pounding, and it's the song with the great vocals-and-bass-only-part. Also "M.O.M." has a cool sing-along-chorus and is a superior headbanger and Niklas Isfeldt shows his ability with great high creams. Dream Evil never forget the melody, and also this song is very catchy. "The Mirror" starts acoustic, but then it turns into uptempo with deep vocals during the first verse and high vocals during the second verse and again, the song has an unbelievable chorus. 

Great double-guitars appear in "Only For The Night", which has a lot of silent parts, which suddenly turn into hard riffs, and the chorus reminds me once more to The Scorpions. Of course Gus G. play a lot of expressive and virtuous soli on the album, always fitting to the song. Finally we have "Tired", a Heavy-Rocker par excellence, again with an impressive and just great chorus, and also the melodies are once more superb.

So, after all, I can say that "The Book Of Heavy Metal" is the best Classic Metal-album for the last years, it's of course not very original, but that's also absolutely not necessary. Dream Evil personify the power, the feeling, the emotions, the spirit and of course the sound of the 80s, of bands such as Judas Priest, Ozzy, Dio and a lot more. Dream Evil, welcome to the Olympus of Rock and Metal!!  

Rating: 9.3/10  

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