HUMAN ZOO — Eyes of the Stranger (review)

HUMAN ZOO — Eyes of the Stranger album cover Album · 2011 · Hard Rock Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
J-Man
Unlike most of the bands who've jumped on the "melodic heavy metal revival" bandwagon, Human Zoo are not from Scandinavian soil. They're actually from Balingen, Germany, but make no mistake - these guys can certainly compete with the hordes of melodic heavy metal bands coming out of Sweden. On the band's third and most recent effort, Eyes of the Stranger, they sport a unique sound that differentiates them from their Swedish counterparts with enough memorable hooks and choruses to satisfy every melodic heavy metal fan. This isn't a particularly challenging release, and those who crave complexity in their music will probably feel a bit underwhelmed - but if you're looking for a well-played, high-quality album with enough memorable hooks to keep you busy for a long time, Eyes of the Stranger is an easy recommendation.

Human Zoo plays a style of melodic hard rock/heavy metal with plenty of AOR tendencies. This is a very commercial-sounding album, and the frequent saxophone solos further emphasize the band's AOR influence. Eyes of the Stranger is generally a very "inoffensive" album - it doesn't ever "rock out" too hard, the keyboard tones are generally on the more restrained side, and virtually every song follows a similar verse-chorus-verse structure. This shouldn't at all be taken as a bad thing, however. Human Zoo is a group of talented musicians and songwriters, and every track strikes me as a hit-worthy melodic heavy metal song. It does feel a bit too formulaic at times, but I certainly don't deny quality - and that's exactly what we have here. The fantastic production courtesy of Chris Lausmann also sounds crisp, professional, and well-done.

All in all, Eyes of the Stranger is a very successful effort from Human Zoo that I'd readily recommend to any melodic hard rock/heavy metal fan. I do think it could use a bit more variation and experimentation, but the great compositions, fantastic musicianship, and powerful production make this one an easy winner regardless. Eyes of the Stranger is simply a quality album, and anyone who wants that in their melodic heavy metal should look no further. 3.5 stars are well-deserved.
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