1999

After months of waiting, I am finally able to present you one more great metal band, which is hailing from ex-Yugoslavia, specifically speaking, from Bosnia & Herzegovina. This is their first studio album, entitled "1999" which is among the best progressive/heavy metal/rock works around. Besides all this, in their music you will find good hard rock moments and a bit of influences from domestic folk. With their live shows, and especially by winning the award of the best band on BH Rock Festival, Southern Storm have showed how much potential they have. First and title song of the album, "1999" holds powerful power/thrash rhythm guitar which gives incredible support to the drums and whole rhythm section. All this is incorporated by unique sound that only bands from ex-Yugoslavia can give. This is what our bands definitely need - originality, which will help them define new and specific sound. "Wake Me Up" is another masterpiece and every fan of hard/heavy metal will definitely bang his head, while listening to it. By the way, I have heard demo versions of these two songs earlier, and I must say I like them more then studio versions, but that's just my point of view. Production of the album is perfect... maybe too perfect... Next song, "Out Of Time" combines hard rock fury with technical progressive metal moments. Elvis, vocalist of the band, shows his capabilities and makes me listen to this song again, and again. "Fire" features probably the best chorus, and "Elegy" goes further more into progressive metal dimensions. "1999" is the best album of it's kind in ex-Yugoslavia and band itself has a great chance to get signed to a major record label. There is place for improving, the drum sound a bit, construction of the songs, but overall - very good, indeed! I hope they will get along with their new guitarist, since Hot left the band some time ago.

Metal scene here in Yugoslavia and all of it's former states is 99% domestic based and I can't think of a band from these areas who actualy made it abroad. Well, that is surely about to change. Cause these guys are fantastic. Year 2000 saw their eagerly anticipatet first album 1999. The band had been playin live shows long time before the album was released so when it was actualy released they already had a huge fan base. And here is why :
This album present a perfect mix of heavy, prog, power metal with strong folk influences such seen in the title track and the four tracks in Bosnian (Serbian) language. Emir Hot is one of the best guitarists around here, and he proves it on this album. Too bad he left the band and now is seeking musical education abroad. Vocalist Elvis Garagic is a story for himself. Great vocal range, and really brings himself into the music. Let's see the songs now :
1. 1999 - the title track shows the folk influences the most and the lead guitar work lets you know right away how good this band is
2. Wake Me Up - fast going track, lyricly it is about escaping this life here, cause in case you haven't heard it sucks down here on the Balcans.good song, but not great
3. Out of time - oh, my god. this is awsome. one of my favorite tracks on the album. Memorable chorus, fantastic guitar work.
4. Fire - the helicopter sound brings us into the hymn of the band. "Southern Storm is bringing fire never asking who you are" and it begins. Strong drum work, great tempo, really a song to go wild to in concerts. Uplifting
5. Elegy - that's the first ballad on the cd. Well, let's just say it's one of the best ballads I've ever heard. Great lyrics and Elvis really outdid himself in this one. And the aaaa and ooooo screams reminding me of child in time, well they simply send shivers down your spine. fantastic
6. Lost in dreams - somewhat faster song, another good one
7. Shades of Memory - great chorus, can thay make a not great song? no
8. Dream - a ballad again. Though not as good in my opinion as elegy still a very good song, worth a lighter in concerts
9. Tragovi proslosti - first track in bosnian. lyricaly again it is about escaping the ghosts of the past in this war destroyed country. one of the better songs, with memorable chorus (that is if you understand bosnian)
10. Opstanak - a love song, but not a ballad, very uptempo, with a lot of folk influences. Nothing special
11. Slavery - the last song in english, and the longest running song on the album. high tempo song for headbangers
12. Probudi me - actualy it's the bosnian language version of Wake Me Up (Probudi me is bosnian for Wake me up). Lyrics are changed though the meaning is the same, but the music is the same.
13. Nasa istina - a truly powerful song. About the bosnian war that ended 5 years before this was released. The most powerful lyrics on the album.

Well that raps it up. If you like power, prog, heavy metal, if you like music at all, you should pick this up