GAMMA RAY — Somewhere Out in Space (review)

GAMMA RAY — Somewhere Out in Space album cover Album · 1997 · Power Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
Mjöllnir
Following up Land of the Free wasn't going to be easy. While Kai had finally pulled it together, a significant line-up change had occured in the wake of the album's tour. It ended up being nothing to worry about as the new musicians gelled perfectly and have stayed with the band ever since, for better or worse. Despite a production which leaves the material feeling thin and lacking a certain charge, Somewhere Out in Space is another fine Gamma Ray offering. Henjo Richter (guitars) and Dan Zimmerman (drums) make their mark very evident early into the album, which helps propell the songs onward in a defiant charge (power metal indeed!). Beyond the Black Hole is an incredible opener, laying down the GR cards firmly on the table with its combination of melody, rollicking riffs and grandiose approach to songwriting.

Kai has never been tempted to swerve from his continuing the style he helped pioneer in Helloween, but with this mid period Gamma Ray he refines it so much it ceases to matter. Most of the tracks are standard heavy metal fare but carefully put together with lush presentation. The start, title track and climactic ending to the album give us a little bit more, leaning on the progressive "lite" approach of the best old Helloween. The album as a whole is weakened during the middle, starting with the corny ballad "Pray" (and Farwell on the previous album was so good as well...), moving through the bland The Winged Horse, a throwaway drum solo and the far too abrasive (in the album's context) Lost in the Future. After all that we're treated to a preview of Kai's side project Iron Savior with the track Watcher in the Sky, but I find that drab and uneventful as well.

Even with that problematic patch, Somewhere Out in Space is still slap bang in the middle of the band's best years, and it shows.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Metal Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

MMA TOP 5 Metal ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
Master of Puppets Thrash Metal
METALLICA
Buy this album from our partners
Paranoid Heavy Metal
BLACK SABBATH
Buy this album from our partners
Moving Pictures Hard Rock
RUSH
Buy this album from our partners
Powerslave NWoBHM
IRON MAIDEN
Buy this album from our partners
Rising Heavy Metal
RAINBOW
Buy this album from our partners

New Metal Artists

New Metal Releases

The Goblin Sessions Heavy Metal
THEM
Buy this album from MMA partners
Tormenta De Arena Metalcore
VORAGO
Buy this album from MMA partners
Infinite Metalcore
FUTURE GHOST
Buy this album from MMA partners
Heretic Melodic Death Metal
SUNCINDER
Buy this album from MMA partners
The Skull Burned Wearing Hell Like A Life Vest As The Night Wept Mathcore
FRONTIERER
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Metal Online Videos

Future Ghost - Wolves (Official Music Video)
FUTURE GHOST
Bosh66· 1 day ago
Future Ghost - Nemesis Game (Official Music Video)
FUTURE GHOST
Bosh66· 1 day ago
Harrowed TwentyTenVideo
HARROWED
Bosh66· 2 days ago
Sunmancer - Realms of Dilemma (Official Visualizer)
SUNMANCER
Bosh66· 7 days ago
Sunmancer - Lower Cavalier (Official Visualizer)
SUNMANCER
Bosh66· 7 days ago
More videos

New MMA Metal Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Metal News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed