TITAN FORCE — Titan Force (review)

Album · 1989 · US Power Metal

4/5 · 2024-01-03
UMUR

"Titan Force" is the eponymously titled debut full-length studio album by US, Colorado based power/heavy metal act Titan Force. The album was released through the small German label U.S. Metal Records in September 1989. Titan Force was formed in 1983 by the three Flores brothers Mario (guitars), John (bass), and Stefan (drums) under the Titan monicker but changed their name to the current one in 1987. At that point the Flores brothers had added guitarist/keyboard player Bill Richardson and former Jag Panzer lead vocalist Harry Conklin to the ranks. The band released no less than five demo tapes from 1985-1989 before being signed to the U.S. Metal Records label for the release of the debut album.

The material on the album is melodic US power/heavy metal written and performed by a skillful and very well playing band. The instrumental performances are sharp and powerful but also sophisticated and clever, and with a premier league singer like Conklin fronting the music, "Titan Force" is an album reeking class. This is music for fans of early Queensrÿche, John Arch-era Fates Warning, and especially for fans of Crimson Glory. Conklin´s powerful high pitched singing style is nothing short of amazing, but the occasionally more gritty notes are a great touch too. There aren´t many of those moments, but when they appear they provide the vocal part of the music with just a little edge and attitude.

The tracks feature a wealth of all the things fans of melodic US power/heavy metal typically enjoy. The incredibly high pitched and powerful vocals have been mentioned above, but the vocal melodies themselves are also very strong and memorable, the guitar riffs, harmonies, and leads are varied and sharp, the occasional use of keyboards is tasteful and always well placed in the context of a track, and the rhythm section is both hard pounding and sophisticated in their choice of beats and bass notes.

The sound production is a bit sterile and also a little disjointed as the drums sometimes sound like they aren´t produced to suit the guitar tone, and the latter is also a little too low in the mix. It´s not serious production issues though, and personally I enjoy how the album is produced with all instruments and vocal parts clearly audible in the mix. Upon conclusion "Titan Force" is a high quality US power/heavy metal release, and for fans of the style I´m inclined to call this a mandatory listen. It´s certainly not the quality of their music, which is the reason why Titan Force never had much commercial success and are seldom mentioned among the great US power/heavy metal artists like the above mentioned similar sounding acts. They are typically mentioned along acts like Lethal, Mystic Force, and Heir Apparent (all great acts but seldom counted among the seminal artists in the US power/heavy metal style), but to my ears they are almost up there with the greatest. A 4 star (80%) rating is deserved.