Power Metal from Germany

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Stormwitch - The Beauty And The Beast
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Artist...............: Stormwitch
Album................: The Beauty And The Beast
Genre................: Heavy/Power Metal
Source...............: NMR
Year.................: 1987
Ripper...............: NMR
Codec................: LAME 3.97
Version..............: MPEG 1 Layer III
Quality..............: Insane, (CBR 320kbps)
Channels.............: Joint Stereo / 44100 hz
Tags.................: ID3 v1.1, ID3 v2.3
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Tracklisting
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1. (00:02:56) Stormwitch - Call Of The Wicked
2. (00:04:21) Stormwitch - The Beauty And The Beast
3. (00:03:23) Stormwitch - Just For One Night
4. (00:03:42) Stormwitch - Emerald Eye
5. (00:04:03) Stormwitch - Tears By the Firelight
6. (00:04:06) Stormwitch - Tigers Of The Sea
7. (00:06:03) Stormwitch - Russia's On Fire
8. (00:04:58) Stormwitch - Cheyenne (Where The Eagles Retreat)
9. (00:03:23) Stormwitch - Welcome To Bedlam
Playing Time.........: 00:36:54
Total Size...........: 84.50 MB
NFO generated on.....: 24/12/2008 16:17:51

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Many of you might know the name of STORMWITCH only from the "Ravenlord"-cover-version of Sweden's HAMMERFALL. Which is a pity, because the band from the south of Germany had released five more or less outstanding albums between 1984 and 1989, of which the first four still are counted among the crème de la crème of German Metal.

My personal favourite is the "Beauty And The Beast"-album, which is the band's fourth. A little more commercial than the three previous efforts, the album features all facets of good Melodic Metal. No matter which track you take, all anthems! "Call Of The Wicked" opens up quite energetic and impresses with its immortal melody and the simple, but effective chorus! The famous title-track, where singer Andy Mück is accompanied by a lady in the chorus, is a cultural asset in my circles already! They used female vocals long before PARADISE LST! Their soft spot for black literature and historical events brought them the title of "Masters Of Black Romantic".

"Just For One Night" is based on a fairy-tale "of one, who set out to learn fear"! "Emerald Eye" deals with a legendary gemstone, while "Tigers Of The Sea" is a story about the English buccaneers, which raided Spanish ships in the name of their queen. Centre-piece and also the calmest song of the STORMWITCHes clearly is the gigantic "Tears By The Firelight", a wonderful ballad with campfire-atmosphere, where singer Andy again is accompanied by the above-mentioned lady. The song deals with a man, who comes home from battle and is longingly expected by his wife. Deeply moving! The song also works without any heavy elements and has a slightly medieval flair!

The epic track "Russia's On Fire" is very slow-paced and enriched with Russian folklore, which is made very clear with the great middle-part with balalaika and the Cossack-choir! On "Cheyenne" the spirits of the Indians are evoked. A quite fast song with a formidable chorus and a great structure. To close things off we are bid welcome in the most famous lunatic asylum, "Welcome To Bedlam" is the title, riff-wise reminiscent of ACCEPT. But STORMWITCH would not be STORMWITCH, if they had not empressed their own touch.