Stars Aligned
Stargazery
•
January 8, 2015

This very interesting Project is born under the combination of two well known musician from Finland namely Jari Tiura (ex frontman for MSG/SNAKE GOD) & guitarist Pete Ahonen (DREAMTALE/BURNING POINT/GHOST MACHINERY) centered around their mutual passion for Classic Metal and Melodic Hard Rock in order to honor the legacy of giants such as RAINBOW/DIO or HEAVEN & HELL. If the first try was already more than an enjoyable disc, this second effort is one step higher in the satisfaction scale, the line up is working superbly with an amazing coherence and a even stronger musical direction, a straight focus for our purest eargasm!
In "Angel Of The Dawn" the vocalist Jari Tiura sounds like a perfect dead ringer for Rob Rock (IMPELLITTERI/DRIVER), and on the fierce N.W.O.B.H.M. influenced "Dim The Halo" he sings similarly to the famous Graham Bonnet, sometimes like a young David Coverdale, his vocal performance through the whole recording are clearly astonishing and flawless, very diverse from high soaring to delicate crooning, the entire Metal singing panoply is employed with a perfect succeed... Jari delivers here his best ever interpretation, a glorious recital under a great collection of Melodic Metal songs of the first order ! The track "Invisible" recalls the almighty epic riffage from "Arabia" by VENGEANCE... Exquisite!
"Absolution" is in the great 80's SABBATH kind of atmosphere, while "Academy Of Love" is more tagged in the heaviest mood of British AOR of the 90's, "Painted Into A Corner" with its fantastic Hammond organ parts seems coming out of the DEEP PURPLE/URIAH HEEP's repertoire...Each track is directly linked to our headbangin' patrimony of Steel...The Orthodoxy is perfectly respected, set in the eternal mode of excellence created by R.Blackmore and Ronnie James Dio. Their dedication and their stainless faith is indisputable!
Some cuts at the end of the running list are less inspired (the weakest being: "Warrior's Inn") and the special bonus track with lyrics in their mothertongue "Tumma Nainen" is forgettable, but the remaining are obviously in the top notch category.
If the planets are in perfect cosmic conjunction, this album should result in an enormous wave of positivism in the little circles of Traditional Metal lovers and Melodic Heavy Metal Connoisseurs. Along with the brand new and superb ANGRA's "Secret Garden", the year 2015 is starting in a perfect way!
8 / 10
Excellent

"Stars Aligned" Track-listing:
1. Voodoo
2. Angel Of The Dawn
3. Missed The Train To Paradise
4. Invisible
5. Absolution
6. Academy Of Love
7. Painted Into A Corner
8. Dim The Halo
9. Bring Me The Night
10. Hidding
11. Warrior's Inn
12. Dark Lady
13. Tumma Nainen (Special Bonustrack)
Stargazery Lineup:
Jari Tiura - Lead Vocals
Jukka Jokikokko - Bass
Pete Ahonen - Guitars
Marco Sneck - Keyboards
Jussi Ontero - Drums
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