Stephen
Never heard of them before but a very promising album after reading that STEELWING was the winner of Rock The Nation Award in 2009. Outperforming in a festival or competition usually proved us that the capability of the band is above average and the album is often worth to check out. I think the theory works with 'Zone of Alienation', a very interesting heavy metal album that's greatly influenced not only by IRON MAIDEN, but also with other classic heroes, such as SAXON and RUNNING WILD.
I don't know if they intend to create an 80s soundscape, but the production result is very nostalgic and made you think 'isn't 'Piece of Mind' was released yesterday?' - 'Solar Wind Riders' is magical and 'Full Speed Ahead!' is breathtaking and a powerful piece showcasing their talents. 'Breathless' is a commercial attempt, very radio friendly but still heavy. The title track borrowed Maiden's intro style, perhaps from 'Somewhere In Time' era, and one of my personal fave.
You also can't go wrong with 'Tokkotai (Wind of Fury)' as well as 'They Came From The Skies', both are gems, and perhaps 'Lunacy Rising' could be a hit or miss. It's a 10-minutes track so it's quite lengthy for some, to me it's kinda okay, but I personally think perhaps giving couple of 5-minutes songs is a better option here, and beside, by omitting couple of intro tracks and the last demo track, this album is kinda too short with only 8 tracks.
I'm impressed with STEELWING and I don't doubt the skill of the players. Probably they need to reinvent themselves in the third album, bringing something new to the table and mix it with the classic will earn them more respect, although doin' exactly like this one isn't a major problem for me. I enjoy this one, and I think most heavy metal fans might agree with me that this is a very good release!