CoC : Black Majesty - Sands of Time : Review

Black Majesty - _Sands of Time_
(LMP, 2003)
by: Brian Meloon (6.5 out of 10)

Australia's Black Majesty don't offer up many surprises on their debut album _Sands of Time_. Though their name might not immediately clue you in to what kind of music they play, a single look at the cover art of this album should immediately make the phrase "European power metal" come to mind, and that is exactly what Black Majesty delivers. All of the standard power metal elements are present, manifested into uptempo songs with soaring harmonized guitar leads, soaring vocals and catchy choruses. The vocals in particular are pretty good, though there are a few awkward-sounding parts. In fact, that sentiment holds for the rest of the music as well. In general, the rhythm playing is very solid and tight, but the leads are a weakness. At some points, they sound very cheap, such as the short guitar lead half a minute into "Guardian", and at other times, they don't really add anything to the music other than filling the space where the guitar solo should go. The production is quite good, with a strong, clean, and powerful sound. However, for my tastes, the guitars are a little too low in the mix and the vocals are a little too high. In the end, Black Majesty's style is nothing groundbreaking, but they're doing it well. Those who can't get enough power metal should find this much to their liking, though others may want to tread carefully.

Contact: http://www.blackmajesty.com

(article published 23/9/2004)