As long as time passes by a band, it’s hard to keep the same level, even for experienced musicians. Such oscillations are usual, because no one can stay on the top forever (a band becomes tired as anyone else, you know). But some acts seems to refuse to let things go down as they can, because album after album, they’re always sounding great and fresh as in the first time. This is the case of the German Heavy/Power Metal sextet THE UNITY, here back with their fourth full length, named “The Hellish Joyrice”. As everybody knows, on the band’s ranks are experienced musicians with names as GAMMA RAY, PRIMAL FEAR, THE GIANT VOID, AVANTASIA, LOVE.MIGHT.KILL, EDGUY, BLIND GUARDIAN and others on their curriculums.

The only difference on the lineup is due the coming of Tobias for the bass guitar (once Jogi Sweers left the band), but the band’s music stays the same defined on their first album: a form of German Heavy/Power Metal adorned with Hard Rock traces, rich in arrangements and melodies, but always in a personalized form (it’s not because a band plays a known genre that it can’t do things on its own way, mind you). So the album brings a fresh blown of wind into Heavy/Power Metal (that is eroded due the use and abuse of the past years) again, with a wonderful work full of life and energy, spontaneous and honest to the bones! The sonority is typically what’s expected of a Heavy/Power Metal band: clean and defined, but the weighty shown is in a level that’s hard to hear on the genre. The production of Michael Ehré, and was mixed and mastered by Achim Köhler (the same guy known for this works with HAMMERFALL, AVANTASIA, HELLOWEEN, and others, and that did the same on the sextet’s previous album, “Pride”). And what a lovely cover created by Felipe Machado.

It’s clear that “The Hellish Joyride” is another ‘must have’, another ‘hit the target’ album. “Masterpiece” is a song filled with excellent melodies and charming keyboards parts, tempering the aggressiveness of the vocals (and what lovely chorus this song bears). On “The Hellish Joyride”, one will find a true masterpiece song with excellent hooking melodies, with excellent guitar riffs and duets and another great chorus. Spewing excellent melodies and a tender ambience, “Only the Good Die Young” shows an amazing energy, with bass guitars and drums giving the right technical rhythmic support. In a more traditional Heavy/Power Metal format comes “Saints and Sinners”, rich in fine melodic arrangements.

The introspective appeal on the beginning of “Something Good” (with charming keyboards ambiences contrasting with drums and vocals) soon becomes a tender set of melodies that shows accessibility. On “Always Two Ways to Play” is that kind of ‘funny Power Metal’ song, filled with accessible Hard Rock details on the guitar parts. “Golden Sun” keeps the accessible appeal of the previous song, as a Hard Rock/Power Metal song filled with gluing melodies and arrangements. And “Stay the Fool” brings some Rock ‘n’ Roll, Pop Rock and Glam Rock adornments on the melodies, along with some groove elements on bass guitar and drums.

Bringing some Hard Rock elements of the 70s (as the keyboards parts) into the account, “Never Surrender” gives a refreshing sensation to the minds of the hearers. And closing the album comes “You’re Not Forced to Stay”, one can fill some touches of World Music/ Pop enriching the song, with many contrasts between heavier moments and clean parts. Well, after all these words, one can have the clear idea that “The Hellish Joyrider” is one of the greatest albums of the year, and shows that THE UNITY has come to become a driving force into the genre.