On disc: Wilde Starr

 
 Arrival
 
- Gisela Schmitz -
 
 


 
 A Tell Tale Heart
 
- Lars Bjørn -
 
 

A Tell Tale Heart

(Scarlet Records - 2012)



 
 

 

Wilde Starr may not be the most well-known band, but it's a trio from California led by London Wilde and Dave Starr, there you have the name Wilde Starr. Their first full-length record, Arrival, was released in 2009 and they are now ready with the new album A Tell Tale Heart. It is power metal, but standard stuff all the way through, nothing ever get past the ordinary level, except from the first song Immortal which gives us fast and competent power metal in a super tight sound. Then there is a charming slow metal song called Last Holy King which is also listenable and holds the value. And if there was not enough songs, they added Transformis Ligea from the first album, but that doesn't make it more qualified just to repeat it. The songs does not have the class that I would like them to have, and as another negative point the singer London Wilde screams too much during the songs, she should spare the high voices a bit, the songs would be much better if Wilde would sing them in a normal voice level. Hope that they bring better songs next time.

 
 










Lars Bjørn


  
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Arrival

(Furnance Maximus Records - 2009)



 
 

 

Guitarist Dave Starr was part of quite a few bands which are highly regarded, so he was part of Lääz Rockit, Chastain and Vicious Rumors. Now he as a new band - Wilde Starr. Together with singer London Wylde and drummer Jim Hawthorne he recorded this album which is called Arrival. First of all, fans of power metal will dig it! The album kicks off with Rose In The Dark which opens up with a German intro. After this excellent metal tune they easy off a bit, coz the title track is a partly mid-paced female-fronted metal track. I confess that I find female vocals á la Nightwish very boring, but this is brilliant. London rocks! And it's pure fun to listen. They add some bombastic sounds and so it needs only 2 songs to realize that Wilde Starr are special! A dark edge offers Touching God. The song has a calm atmosphere which fits very well, but also a few faster passages. London adjusts to the speed and so this song works well and is very interesting. They speed up for Rise, a power metal song with cool riffs and with expressive vocals which vary from sweet and lovely to angered ones. The opening of Down Of The Sun seems to be a ballad, but the song has some speed changes to offer and so it's mainly mid-paced. The gentle tempi changes give the song a melancholy edge and so it's a sonic roller coaster ride. They storm off with In This World, a song with cool riffs and great harmonies. And even some playfulness shows through, but it's still a power metal track! The fast Generation Next is more complex and full of great riffing - and so becomes one of the highlights of this album. They calm down a bit for Nevermore, a mid-tempo tune which becomes a real ear catcher! Doomy sounds you get with Voice In The Silence. A bit dragging, but with a great hook as well as rock parts this one grows on you. A power metal song with rough edges - just the way it should be. My resume, a great album with crisp power metal tunes and so I recommend this one to all fans of power metal. Give it a try!

 
 










Gisela Schmitz

(translation: Claudia Ehrhardt)


  
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