Power metal with some symphonic and progressive metal tendencies, excellent musicianship and massive riffs.

11 MP3 Songs
METAL: Power Metal, METAL: Progressive Metal



Details:
To me LANFEAR are one of the best bands from Germany who absolutely don't have to hide behind the international competitors. On the contrary, as these guys have always pleased us with grandiose Heavy Metal that contains everything you need to my mind. Especially the latest album "The Art Effect" was a smasher as from paradise. All the better that this band still exists and presents another highlight in terms of melodic, fast and captivating in "Another Golden Rage".

It is traditional Metal, similar to the US style, however the Prog parts made way for a straighter direction. Which does not disturb, though, on the contrary: the album is just catchier, though not simpler. 2005 a.d. a keyboard also plays an important role with LANFEAR. Especially these "strange" sounds, that remind me of video game sounds from time to time, integrate excellently into the sound wall that is still dominated by the fat guitar sound. The song material, embedded in a transparent, thickly pushing production, is almost uncannily perfect. Another plus is the (once again) gigantic vocal performance by Tobias Althammer, who is also brillant on the calmer pieces, but also holds a mean snarl in store sometimes. Fleeing distraction here, energetic revolting there, melancholy paralysis when needed, suspending pausing in between, then dashing unrestrainedness. "Another Golden Rage" has them all - all moods a great Metal album needs.

You have to handle unrestricted praise carefully, but here we have a piece that cannot be praised often and strongly enough.

Review taken from THE METAL OBSERVER

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Lanfear is formed in 1993 and in 1996 they released their debut album, Towers, independently. Despite the low response from record labels, they kept going. Fortunately their music was well received by the public and the band progressed well in the following years. After a change in the line up and a demo, the band did get the interest of the labels and signed with Massacre Records. Also the band joined forces with the Danish Intromental as their management.

After raving critics on The Art Effect, the band is back a new and rock solid album: Another Golden Rage, a top notch power metal album with a hell of a crunch. Initially I had some reserves on the originality of the music, as already in the opening track, 'Another Golden Rage', there is a strong reference to Operation Mindcrime by Queensrÿche, albeit with a more modern sound. Singer Althammer does show he reaches the same level Geoff Tate reaches, although I prefer him when he keeps to the middle range.

Great guitar riffs, fast drums and good keyboard play, When the album hits the song 'Eclipse' it's a real surprise...very short, but very symphonic and different than the rest. Actually it was more a bit of Seibel solo. But somehow I got the feeling the rest of the songs are a bit more progressive. I did hear a familiar Metallica riff in 'Shades of Black' and here they even add a bit deathvox. But the riffs are just great. The band moves a bit in the direction of prog metal and manages to create an atmosphere that keeps you glued to the album.

Original music in this day and age will be a heck of a job, and for me that is not what makes an album good or beautiful. What I find important, is an album offering me something to make me keep playing it more often and this is what Lanfear offers me: well written compositions that are both powerful and melodious. It is not an album that was rushed from beginning to end, no, obviously the band has put their heart and soul in it and they know to touch the listener.

The band shows they can do more than just play driven bass, fast double bass and screaming guitarriffs. Next to the symphonic 'Eclipse', also 'Eternally' suprises, a beautiful ballad, that reminded me of Marc Almond J. Not really metal, but very good and shows the band has potential and is not tied to one style. 'Outliving the Ages' is a strong song and a worthy closer of the album, where Geoff Tate once more pops up.

Another Golden Rage was my first getting acquainted with Lanfear and I have to say I really enjoyed it. This album will most likely spend many hours in my CD player, for the simple fact it is a great album, offering more than any standard power metal album. Definitely recommended!

review posted at
www.prog-nose.org

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Another Golden Rage is already Lanfear's second album for Nightmare Records, Already the opener, which is also the title track, shows that Lanfear continue relentlessly their way of melodic speed power metal, and proving again that they absolutely don't have to hide behind more established bands. Again, the songs are mostly very concise, unlike their more epic compositions of olden days, and their roots only shine through on the excellent, more atmospheric What... For. This song is only followed by the long album closer Outliving The Ages, also one of the rare progressive moments, giving me somehow the impression as if Lanfear want to apologise to their longtime fans with some more brainy stuff at the end of the album.

You can perceive Another Golden Rage from two different angles. Either you say it's neither power metal nor prog, and therefore will have a hard time aiming at a steady fan base, or you can claim that it's perfect consensus material, having to please fans of bands like Metal Church, Fates Warning and everything in between. Although I belong to the category of people who mourn Lanfear's progressive days, objectivity forces me to adhere to the latter proposition, recommending this basically really good album to every fan of intelligent heavy metal music

Review from http://www.disagreement.net/

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Musicians

Tobias Althammer: vocals
Markus Ulrich: guitars
Kai Schindelar: bass guitar
Richie Seibel: keyboards
Jürgen Schrank: drums

Tracklist

Another Golden Rage
The Unrestrained
Dispraise
Transmisgration
Eclipse
Shades of Black
The Voice Within
In Silence
Eternally
What...for
Outliving Ages

Discography

Another Golden Rage (2005)
The Art Effect (2003)***JUST REISSUED IN THE US ON NIGHMTARE RECORDS IN 2005
Zero Poems (1999)
Towers of February (re-release, 1997)
Towers (1996)