  
Lion Music/Warner
14 never before heard performances and seven new songs make up the numbers of this retro release of JAMES BYRD`S ATLANTIS RISING. Discovered only last year by lead vocalist Freddy Krumins, these songs tell the story of the time after James had left FIFTH ANGEL back in 1987. Recorded by a mobile, like “Smoke on the Water”, these raw tracks of Greek mythology and lost love will entertain fans of the finest American heavy metal of 1987, or?
US heavy metal has never been this much influenced by SCORPIONS, RAINBOW, UFO, and YNGWIE J MALMSTEEN. The classical themes was mostly European, but right from the solo of “Chasing the Shadows” through to the acoustic guitar picking of “Requiem Atlantis” the material is not really US sounding. The guitar work is of the highest class, second perhaps to Yngwie, and, naturally, ULI JON ROTH, but few else. The big HELIX like drumming is there at times, the depth of the guitar tones are mesmerizing, there is even some DIO lyrics in “Fly to the Sun”. The low point must be the odd “Waiting in the Shadows”, with its German sounding depressive touch and features of an old black and white horror movie it seems destined for another album. The highlights are there in the shape of the riff and refrain mastery of “Eye of the Storm” and the prolonged guitar notes and masterful refrain of “Stranger in the Night”. The rest is mostly a cut above most of the competition, plus a few average fillers. But I feel that this release was called for, being quite different in many areas to the Shrapnel debut of the band that came out in 1990.
Track List
Chasing the Shadows
Fallen Warrior
I Don´t Believe in Love (Falling in Lust)
Fly to the Sun
On My Mind
Waiting in the Shadows
Remember Love
Angel of Mercy
After the Fire
Eye of the Storm
Stranger in the Night
Let It Out
Gotta Find You
Requiem Atlantis
www.lionmusic.com www.myspace.com/guitaristjamesbyrd
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