Pyramaze
Legend Of The Bone Carver

THE REVIEW

Their way of doing metal has immediately projected them onto the (small) stage of Denmark, alongside bands such as Wuthering Heights and Manticora. For many, just another power/heavy band with predictable twists, for others a good group of modern metal. The most obvious references for the type of sound offered are those of bands like Iced Earth and Demons & Wizards.

Substantial steps forward compared to the 2004 debut "Melancholy Beast" have not been made, although there are a few more positive insights. The addition of a second guitar, governed by the fingers of Toke Skjonnemand, has certainly made the entire platter more varied compared to the stagnant tones of the first album. With this addition, there's a gain in melody but especially in the variety of compositions, now more solid and incisive. Examples are the two splendid "The Birth" and "What Lies Beyond" perfectly nestled between heavy and power and continuously cut by riffs as simple as they are modern (crucial is the excellent sound quality). Moreover, Lance King's voice contributes to the album's success (unlike what happens with the Americans Avian). The album continues in this vein with "Ancient Words Within" and "Souls in Pain", while "She Who Summoned Me" shows us the band’s more melodic and moving side, giving life to a ballad. Nothing spectacular, but they are all tracks that let themselves be heard. Further confirmation of the band's qualities comes from the highlight "The Bone Carver", heavy in its course and enriched by an excellent refrain.

Just when it seems that the best of the album has arrived, here comes pure self-sabotage: "Bring Back Life" is a song that can be skipped but is nothing compared to "Blood Red Skies", a track entirely spoken and utterly out of place, pointless and with the aggravation of having disrupted the flow of the CD. The concluding "Tears of Hate" adds nothing new and also ends with a "spoken" part that seems useless, almost in contrast with the positive elements found in the previous songs.

And so, the second work from Pyramaze contributes to fueling the bitterness for a band that has well-aimed arrows but which regularly misses the mark. Legend of the Bone Carver (we're in 2006) is further proof that the qualities are there but are poorly exploited. For fans of the genre, however, 50 minutes of good music.

1. "Era Of Chaos" (1:17)
2. "The Birth" (5:52)
3. "What Lies Beyond" (4:26)
4. "Ancient Words Within" (5:37)
5. "Souls In Pain" (5:16)
6. "She Who Summoned Me" (5:53)
7. "The Bone Carver" (5:05)
8. "Bring Back Life" (4:55)
9. "Blood Red Skies" (3:31)
10. "Tears Of Hate" (6:01)