Emerald - Unleashed (2012)

1. Face Of Evil
2. F.T.M.
3. Another Universe
4. A Past Never Born
5. Eye Of The Serpent [con George Call de Aska y ex-Omen]
6. Harleking
7. Blessed
8. Ancient Mystery
9. Wrath Of God

Personnel:
Alex Spicher - Drums 
Michael Vaucher - Guitar
Manuel Werro - Guitar 
Thomas Vaucher - Keyboards
Adriano Troiano - Bass 
Thomas Winkler – Vocals

EMERALD is one of those bands playing traditional Metal that you cannot throw stones against since their brand of music is nice, but on the other hand, it’s difficult to place them in a high rank in your personal watch/purchase list. In a world with way lesser bands and styles, I guess EMERALD would aim to get a bigger fame (and fortune). It’s not that they do something bad in performing their traditional Metal, but it’s quite a mystery too why the hell they remain an underground act after more than fifteen years and five or six studio albums, while other outfits shake the Metal world in a couple of ‘retro’ albums.

A good explanation is the fact that these guys from Switzerland started recording music as a tribute to their 80s idols (and mostly IRON MAIDEN) way earlier before the New Wave Of Traditional Heavy Metal circuit took shape. So, if you try to listen to their whole discography, you’ll check they also flirt a bit with the Power Metal style made in Europe in the 90s, while the solid basis of their rhythm has its origin to the 80s US Metal school. Hence, EMERALD has been, and still is in this new album called “Unleashed”, a force guided by the light of true Metal in most of its forms.

Apart from the obvious IRON MAIDEN reference, in terms of songwriting the band seems to mostly have a bond with the American school of Heavy/Power Metal. Rhythmic guitars and some passionate expressive vocals by singer Thomas Winkler (this is his second album with the band after 2010’s “Re-forged”) build a nice menu of songs that do not flirt that much with speed and malice but overall leave air for the songs to breathe in favor of the listener’s pleasure. George Call (ASKA, OMEN) sings as a guest in “Eye Of The Serpent”, not to forget.

For unknown reasons EMERALD have not achieved to enter the Hall Of Fame of ‘newer’ bands playing as their 80s idols. Is it for better or worse? Time will tell…Till then, rely on this collection of melodic traditional Heavy/Power Metal (with a heroic touch) and do not ask for more than you need at this time! --- metalkaoz.com

download (mp3 @320 kbs):

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