When most fans of Power Metal think of an Australian band, I would think that most people would say Dungeon. Well, all I have to say is Get the hell out of the way Dungeon, Black Majesty is in town. Black Majesty is fairly new on the scene of Metal but I definitely believe that they will be a force to be reckoned with once their name gets out there.
Black Majesty formed from two different groups in Australia, one being Pegazus and the other being Arkaya. The later is actually Black Majesty because in 2002 they decided to change their name. In that same year they recorded their debut album Sands Of Time. They toured a little bit and the band also had a lineup change due to some family problems. They then recruited Iron Savior's mainman Piet Sielck to produce their new album, Silent Company. They recently opened for Edguy and Hammerfall, so hopefully that is helping spread their audience.
This album sounds fantastic to begin with, from the production to John's outstanding vocal presence and range on the album. John can certainly hit those high notes, which is one of the reasons that I particularly enjoy Power Metal as a whole. Some fans of Metal can't stand it when a singer goes up high but hell, I would say doing that takes way more talent than going really low and growling.
Another one of the highlights of the album is the exquisite guitar work that goes on. There is a solo in almost every song, which I love because it takes it back to the old school Metal days. The solo in Visionary, it goes up and down and all over the fret board. The rhythm section does an excellent job of keeping the pace and supporting the more dominant area of the band being the vocals and guitar. Now I am not trying to say that they are a less important part of the band or not talented at what they do, I'm just saying that in Power Metal guitars and vocals are usually the focus.
Anyway, the band did an excellent job on this album. The highlight of the album is the ultra catchy title cut. I must have played that song at least 5 times in a row when I first heard it. Now I just can't wait for them to get some more exposure and get to the U.S., so I can see them in concert. Maybe an appearance at ProgPower would be in order?