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Reign In Metal
Zodiac :  Metal Reputation : 1
Join date : 2014-02-25
Location : Global Metal Domination
 | |  Kirk - Masquerade (2014) Album Review | |
Kirk - Masquerade (2014)
Mausoleum Records / Rock 'N' Growl Promotion -- Running Time 53:56
Score
8/10
Swiss band Kirk were originally formed in the late 1990's and went on to release their debut album 'The Final Dance' in 2003. When their drummer had to leave due to health reasons and with the remaining members heavily involved in other musical projects (Godiva, Decent Disaster, In Your Face and Dr. Crankenstein) they decided to go on hiatus. Over a decade later Kirk have returned with their sophomore album 'Masquerade', produced by the great Dennis Ward (Unisonic, Pink Cream 69, Angra, Krokus plus many more), and it is a fine album indeed!
If your passion is Melodic Metal by bands such as Kamelot, Masterplan and 'Operation Mindcrime'/'Empire' era Queensryche (without as much progressiveness) along with small touches of Dream Theater and Gothic Metal then Kirk should be very much on your radar because 'Masquerade ' is chock full of anthemic, hook laden slabs of catchiness. Opening track 'Devil's Claw', good as it is, is actually one of the slightly weaker songs and it's not until the title track hits, song number three, that you really sit up and take notice of the fabulous chorus and playing, but with subsequent listens all the songs start to gnaw away at you and I've been walking around for quite a few days now humming them without realising it. When that happens I know there is some good songwriting going on!
Vocalist Thomi Rauch has a wonderful voice, perfectly suited to this style of metal, and he gives a sterling performance throughout. Likewise, guitarist Sammy Lasagni and keyboard player Bruno Berger throw some wonderful shapes and Daniel Pfister on bass and new drummer Philipp Eichenberger hold everything together like glue! With the beautiful, crisp production from Ward added, which gives everyone room to breathe, then Kirk sound like they've never been away! My favourite song on 'Masquerade' is the stunning 'Eternity' which mixes all the styles perfectly into one monster melodic masterpiece. Rauch's voice is the perfect blend of Geoff Tate (from 25 years ago) and ex Kamelot singer Roy Khan (yes, he's that good) and contains another chorus, this one gothic tinged, that completely grabs you by the short and curlies!
Kirk may come across as a little too light for the Power Metal crowd and too heavy for the AOR crowd but I would still recommend they all go and have a listen because quality of song is what matters and on that count this band have got it spot on! Now, is there any chance we can get at least a couple of gigs in the UK please?
https://www.facebook.com/KirkSwissMetal
http://www.kirk.ch/
http://www.music-avenue.net/mausoleum/
http://www.rockngrowl.com/
Review written exclusively for Brutiful Entertainment by Rick Tilley
https://www.facebook.com/richard.tilley.351
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