Get ready for a lot of keyboards folks. We will sail the seas of melodic Metal with the band FATE from Denmark. The band was created around 30 years ago and they are releasing their 8th full album Reconnect ‘n Ignite via Frontier Records. I do expect seasoned musicians and good structured tunes from a band with 30 years on the road. The album starts with “Around The Sun” that also has a video on the tubes. The sound production is quite nice and I can hear a good Heavy Metal tune with some touches of Hard Rock. The output is very polished and it has a nice melody to sing along.

The keys are more present in the next tune “Reason For Everything” that also has a nice guitar riff and gives me vibes of DREAM THEATER. Especially the crazy solos of competent guitar player Torben Enevoldsen. The songs are catchy and well structured, and the keys are used wisely without overpowering the sound. Despite my introduction, FATE is a real Heavy Metal band that sometimes evokes the greats of the 80’s and 90’s. Just listen to “This Won't Last” and you will hear WHITESNAKE with a different singer. This is not bad at all. A good drum introduction from competent drummer Søren Ryan starts the energetic “I’m On Fire” that is taking the best of the album prize so far. Good tune with a nice guitar riff and melody. The singer Per Johansson is a powerhouse. This is the kind of vocals that when you listen you can easily associate with the greats of the genre.

He can sing on a (not so) lower register like in "Running” and still keep the raspiness. He can mix the softness of David Coverdale with the roughness of Udo Dirkschneider seamlessly. We reach the heavy and syncopated “Nowhere To Run” and the band shows that they are able to produce varied tracks and throw some different ideas in the singing melody and tempo signatures. On bass and keyboards we have Pete Steiner that takes care of the job and the band sound is not overpowered by the other keyboardist Patrik Törnblom. Keys are used wisely and with good taste not giving to the metal listener those annoying electronic Metal shit. Let’s say that the keys are used in a John Lord way. You feel their presence with nice arrangements but they are not getting all the attention unless it is a solo. The other thing I have noticed is that there is no ballad so far! We reach “Children Of A Lesser God” that has another nice guitar riff. After hearing the chords, I am coming to the conclusion that FATE absorbed the Metal scene in thirty years of their existence and brought to us a classic Heavy Metal/Hard Rock from the past, but with a more modern dressing.

You can relate to a lot of classic bands, from NWOBHM to California Hard Rock like in the feel good tune“ Feel The Burn” that is another highlight of the album for me. The fact that the singer has an unique reach, and a raspy voice adds the extra cherry to the top. And we end this good album with the same energy that we started with “Under The Gun” , which is another killer track with great arrangement, sticky chorus and great musicianship and performance. Good melodic Metal with a lot of heavy edges.