Gamma Ray - Land Of The Free II

Details :- 2008, SPV, CD

There were definite mixed feeling when this disc arrived for review. Quite why a band should choose to revisit their most critically acclaimed album to produce a follow up usually means that the creative juices have dried up somewhat and by using the “Best Album II” trick they’ll convince us that this is as good as that peak and will possess all the elements that made you like the first one. Helloween failed to do that when revisiting the Keeper theme but fortunately put that right with last years “Gambling With The Devil”. Queensryche also fell short of the original Mindcrime concept with the recent sequel but given the quality of the original that’s hardly surprising. Sadly they’ve now resorted to the cover album tactic.

But, are Gamma Ray also trying to pull a fast one by going for Land Of The Free II? Well, despite claims of a return to their “greatest strength: positive power” I think to a certain extent they are. However, having lived with the songs within the album for a while I don’t think they needed to use that title at all as there is enough prime Gamma Ray on here to satisfy the ardent follower and if any younger fans of the likes of say, Dragonforce to name a current fave, care to take a look at the names that invented the power metal sub-genre they’ll find the name Kai Hansen and here once again he delivers what he’s always delivered… impressive power metal that might not be entirely original with a rake of Maiden-isms but with lashings of guitar and yes, that positive power that made initially Helloween and subsequently Gamma Ray so enjoyable.

The best track on the album is left to last and almost typically is also the longest. “Insurrection” clocks in over 11 minutes long and is a fine multi-faceted epic full of contrasting sub-sections and plenty of guitar passages from Kai Hansen and Henjo Richter. To my mind this track deserves the album named after it but there we go, what do I know! Elsewhere, “To Mother Earth” is an upbeat piece of bouncy metal that reflects the days of “Dr.Stein” but with a modern day green theme, “Rain” impresses too although is certainly somewhat darker in nature and drummer Hans Zimmerman written “Empress” owns a terrifically catchy riff and some superbly overblown choral effects too that possibly marks the song as one to pick for radio play. It must be said that Hansen handles the vocals impressively too on this album.

As for the Maiden-isms, the albeit thoroughly enjoyable “Leaving Hell” owes much come the chorus to Bruce’s “Accident Of Birth” and “Opportunity” shares a quieter section that will surely remind anyone old enough to remember, of the quieter bit from “Ancient Mariner”. From the opening riff on the album you’ll find plenty of similar licks to the Murray and Smith whilst other occasional “similar to” bits creep in too along the way - look out for a touch of Gary Moore circa “Out In The Fields” at one point. A perceived lack of originality has been accused of Hansen since day one of course and it’s never seemed to worry him so I’m not going to start worrying either as they’re all decent songs and there is plenty of that old, upbeat, typically Gamma Ray/Helloween style sound here and with Gamma Ray I’ll settle for the tried and tested done well.

Overall then, a good album with many positives, but one that I think should have been allowed to live on it’s own title rather than be judged as a follow-up. Certainly good enough to sit proudly in the now quite large discography and towards the top of the pile too.

Highlight: Insurrection

Score: 3/5

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Promo clip for album opener “Into The Storm“…

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BL

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