As I always love to speak about history, Metal in Spain was not so strong in the 80's. Obviously the names of OBUS, ÁNGELES DEL INFIERNO and BARON ROJO were known for many Metalheads, but more information than this was rare. Maybe it was an underground home scene on those days. Today, it's the opposite: many good names arise from the lands that El Cid defended with his life. XTASY's name is new for me, and their work on "Second Chance" is really very good.

They can look like a Glam Metal band sometimes, but it's not a right thought. This quintet is mixing Metal influences from traditional Heavy Metal with Glam Metal melodies. The final result for our ears is similar to names as DOKKEN and MALICE (but not as aggressive as this last one), so you have something melodic, charming and truly accessible. Of course the melodies they create are catchy to our ears, but they play into a heavy trend, with sharp guitars spewing riffs hard as rocks, a heavy and technical work is done by bass and drums, along with fine melodic vocals and some casual interventions of keyboards (from where some AOR scent comes). Yes, it's good, so don't worry about labels, and focus your attention on their music. That's enough to make you happy.

Erik Martensson mixed and mastered the album, and the result of the production is a fine and clean sound, bearing a heavy weight in many moments (that can make you think of a Heavy Metal band), but without taking out their melodic vocation (from where Hard Rock/AOR influences come from). It's loud, clean and truly heavy. Of course it could be better, but it's very good.

The only little "but" I have to point to is about the vocals. There are moments when Spanish accent is too evident and doesn't fit on their music. But she has talent and can work it out, and the album is excellent. And as proof of what I say, "Into the Fire" (a perfect match between the class of AOR with the weight of Metal, and where the vocals shows how they are talented, even with the accent I wrote above), the heavy expressive tempos of "One in a Million" and "Under the Gun" (both with very good bass guitar and drums presence, and what lovely choruses), the bitter guitar riffs on "Said and Done", the charming and tender atmosphere of "Second Chance", and heavy approach of "Never Surrender".

It's really a great work, but I have to write again: please, Silvia has a great voice that matches on their musical work. It's not a matter of expelling her of the band, but of working hard and overcoming this little problem. Finally, enjoy "Second Chance", because it deserves it!