Warning! Alert, Alert! Power Metal freaks only. Step back if you are not a Power Metal fan.
This review should be up months ago but since we had some problems here, we decided to put it up for those who haven't get it yet for any reason and for those who hesitate to get it because they don't have enough money to spent for something that's not so good.
Yeah, Freedom call are back. First of all I can't understand why Dan Zimmermam ( the drummer of Gamma Ray) plays the same kind of metal with his project band as he does with his major band Gamma Ray. What's the point? I just can't get it! Is he so much in love with Power metal?

I don't have to say many things about this release. Freedom Call play the so called Melodic Power Metal in the vein of Gamma Ray, Helloween and Blind Guardian. Nothing new, nothing that you have never heard. In a few words there's nothing really amazing about the album. It's well played though. Very well played. However it's no so Power Metal. Melody in their music is above the hard parts. They have some very good riffs and solos accompanied by nice vocals and typical Dan Zimmerman drumming but...but... You know.. TYPICAL. I have to say that in the beginning I enjoyed it even more than their first album. I listened to it only 14-16 times and got bored. Almost to death. In overall I think that Crystal Empire is better than their debut but as I said before it has NOTHING at all to offer. It will appeal to any fan of MELODIC power metal but those who prefer their Power Metal more aggressive and less melodic they should stay away or just hear a sound sample before.. It's really hard to rate this album and the 7 you can see it's just a number. It could be 9 for someone who really loves this kind of metal and he/she doesn't care if it's original or not and below 5 for the rest.

The final decision is yours. I don't like it so much because I got bored of Helloween/Gamma Ray clones but I know that there are many people out there who really love this kind of metal. I also have to say that the guys of Freedom call try to put their own touches on their music and they manage to show some of their own elements but the I have heard this before riffs and solos are really annoying sometimes. This album brought them closer to a more original sound though I have to admit that. Take Hammerfall for example. It took them 3 albums to find an own musical identity. It will visit my CD-player again but it won't remain there for a long time. As for Melodic Power metal freaks. Attack!