Andy
While Malmsteen is a pure imitator in neoclassical version of Blackmore A. R. Pell retrieves the blues and romantic side of Blackmore but with a true personal style. A. R. Pell, is a great writer of ballads, most in the wake of Uriah Heep that Deep Purple. However, he resumed here "Tearin' Out My Heart" dei Rainbow e "When A Blind Man Cries" dei Deep Purple, two Great ballads (and "Tearin' Out My Heart" It is too faithful to the original, unfortunately). Listen to "Your Life (Not Close Enough To Paradise)" is a real pleasure. This power ballad is the sum of what I would call power ballad:Built on power, it has a simple melody and full of emotion and a refrain that is printed in the mind from the first note. In this vein I also insert "You Want Love". To those who see A. R. Pell just an imitator of Blackmore would like to point out that his ballads They are closer to those of Uriah Heep, for the atmosphere and the building than to those of the Scorpions. Not to be found, in a ballad of return receipt Pell, the fact that each band of Traditional Heavy Metal wrote big power ballads, to enhance their singers.In a ballad of A. R. Pell you have to seek the pleasure of writing, playing and giving great music,because A. R. Pell wants to show how difficult it is to write ballads that do not get bored (And even in this it seems to me very close to Uriah Heep). If I love his Speed Metal songs (technically sublime for difficulty) but I find superb in technique and in writing also the guitar version of "Broken Heart". In fact, here's a warmth and a transport that I rarely find in a song by A. R. Pell. And all without trying to be technical or wanting to be superior to other axe-maen.
We do not call it "The Ballads" a pure compilation. Some versions or songs are unreleased. And this is enough for me to consider it an album. Of course, a particular album. But beautiful. Maybe not perfect and essential but not banal.