From merciless rigor and brutal misperceptions

If I, konstatierten the many sky shouting positive reviews and how right in another review "highly self-congratulatory" self-description of the band give here believe it would be in "Ballads' n 'Bullets' is nothing less than a milestone in the piano-based metallic music act. This situation has considerably depressed in my expectations, according to hard, I regret the listening experience go to court. Because I compare this with the reference albums of the genre, such as the similarly mounted "Winds" (esp. "The Imaginary Direction Of Time"), the black-metallic, but nevertheless stylistically similar "Vintersorg" vanguard "Arcturus" or the bands by Jon Oliva (Jon Oliva's Pain, Savatage), thus making fast wide disillusionment.

To "In Legend" anticipate demarcate from these bands: Vintersorg and Arcturus are not quite as piano-heavy, with at Legend In exactly this instrument indeed is the central sound characteristic. Winds, however, are something symphonic, also weave strings in the sound, but are at the same time harmonically complex than the otherwise similar Bands supported Jon Olivas.

The album does have its high points, such as the opener duo that actually developed the Drive, the description promises. Even the last album thirds is largely convincing. "Soul Apart" is driven at the beginning of a strong rhythm and weighs so at least the shallow chorus on. The subtly playing with electronic sounds "Prestinate" know fully convincing and is actually the mixture of symphonic components and billowing samples in the immediate sense of the word innovate. "A Hanging Matter" picks up the thread nice to, contrasted piano performances with a distinctive drumming and develops in the second half to a rather rousing Opus, which is particularly due to the refreshingly different kind of vocal middle part and the pace variations - for me of late The highlight of the album. Afterwards, there is high but only one direction: it goes down. "Heya" has a nice sing-along part, be there but otherwise dispensable. The final "Universe" sounds then completely after Disney soundtrack, topped with a healthy dose of fifth grader English ("I want to fade away with you" - seriously?!?).

If the description unabashedly of opening up the "undiscovered [n] Terrain [s] heavy music for the piano" speaks, my bile is high. Who wants to hear how the almost perfect combination of hardness and piano music sounds, the are highly recommended "Fleshgod Apocalypse", which weave enormously complex and especially impressive consistent arrangements from a reduced symphony sound and classic Death Metal. This hardness is, however, "In Legend" completely off. Sure, you would play one of the louder tracks on the album on the radio, the outcry would be great. But one takes metal as a benchmark, as the band has the hardness of virtually reduced to zero.

What to "Ballads 'N' Bullets" But by far the most bothers me is that "In Legend" Installing especially in the first half of the season many inconsequential Klimpereien that have a drastic Kitsch impact and the album dangerous in a Proximity to the easy-listening piano pop back (in a negative sense). The description speaks of "passion". But my ears judging by the album sounds a good route unfortunately often cheesy, cliche-laden and very shallow (prime examples: "At Her Side", "Universe", "Stardust" and the creepy chorus of "The Healer") - and is thus far from the mediation real passion. The relevant passages are not - as with many albums of otherwise technically virtuoso pianist - misused Frickeleien but simply to build extremely unimaginative arrangements. It sounds something like an uninspired power metal band, with the difference that the cheesy lead guitar was here replaced by a piano. Disturbing is in particular that the sound of the piano and little unnatural organic sounds, making these parts seem then simply cheap. I do not know if the album was recorded with a real grand piano or - if so, which is in any case by the production (un) sent lined.

It is quite true that sound "In Legend" in those rare, best moments, as well as unspent own. However, "Ballads 'N' Bullets" has a shape more complete second face, namely the desolate grimace harmoniously uninspired background music. I can think of that judgment doubly hard, because I play piano even the most varied pace and on many different bands appreciate the combination of heavy music and piano music and have learned to love. I have often tried it, but overall I know this album is simply not convincing - and this disappointment is particularly in view of laurels that has collected here the album, extremely bitter.