Tales of Terror

That's "Iron Maiden" in German and I'm giving Google Translate the benefit of the doubt.

The reason for such a grandiloquent header is because Stormwitch indeed solidified their status as Germany's unofficial Iron Maiden equivalent with this sophomore album. Such a claim might sound presumptuous to some readers, but I dare said unbelievers to at the very least listen to the first three tracks on "Tales of Terror". The Maiden influence is palpable, For starters, the album opener "Point of No Return" makes no bones about kicking off with practically the same riff as "2 Minutes to Midnight"...yes, I am aware that it is likely the most overused riff in all of hard rock and heavy metal and preceded the "Powerslave" album, but it tends to default to that specific song in people's minds. The similarities in musical aesthetic don't stop there as "Hell's Still Alive" gives even more of an impression that it could've been written by Steve Harris in his spare time. But that's far from a negative. From the bass-heavy opening to the ripping guitar solo, the song spares no expense in convincing the listener that Stormwitch took the right cues from the NWOBHM sound. The speed and energy of the aforementioned sound is also on display during the surprisingly fun "Night Stalker".

"Tales of Terror" continues where "Walpurgis Night" left off musically and stylistically, but improving on several elements. Production remains a little on the raw side but everything sounds better than previously, from Lee Tarot and Steve Merchant's guitar work (yes, this album marks the introduction of the awesomely corny "Americanized" stage names, bonus points for the cleverly cheeky translation of "Kaufman" to "Merchant") to Andy M-- Andy ALDRIAN's vocals. Which sound stronger and clearer than before, although the mixing still irks me with how the vocals got put a bit too much in the background at times. Pete Lancer's drumming shines particularly brightly during the thundering outro to "Arabian Nights" and the section of "Lost Legions" where the drums evoke the sound of undead soldiers marching in lockstep.

Again, the strongest element of Stormwitch's work is the songwriting and the atmosphere evoked by the well-written lyrics in conjunction with the music. Much like their British counterparts, the Germans don't content themselves with a half-assed job when it comes to the lyrical element of their music (and we have the late Lee Tarot to thank for it). The precedent of using literature as direct inspiration for their songs was established by "Cave of Steenfoll" and it continues with "Masque of the Red Death", whose sound can be considered emblematic of the "New Wave of German Heavy Metal" that the Brits inspired. It starts off slow and moody and then speeds up during the rising action of the Gothic horror tale from which it was adapted. This, along with "Arabian Nights" with its riveting tale of a slave waiting for the right moment to make his escape (the guitars go out of their way to set the proper Arabian tone), stands out as the best example of songs which conjure up a dark and mysterious atmosphere both musically and lyrically. Another track that I'm quite partial to is "Sword of Sagon" (that I keep reading as "Saigon"), a Manowar-tinged "hero vs. dragon" medieval epic complete with endearingly over-the-top spoken intro (a whole cauldron of human blood? Fuck me running...), providing some high adventure respite among the tales of doom and gloom.

If you enjoyed Stormwitch's freshman offering, get ready for seconds. Everything the band got right the first time around is delivered better, marking "Tales of Terror" as the high point of early Stormwitch from where I'm standing.

Standout tracks: "Hell's Still Alive", "Masque of the Red Death", "Arabian Nights", "Sword of Sagon", "Night Stalker"

There was a lot of buzz for Stormwitch back in the 80s, as they managed to produce a slew of decent if forgettable albums during the early years of their career, and had what is probably one of the best metal band names ever. My own preference is for their first two records, Walpurgis Night and Tales of Terror, slabs of Maiden influenced power metal with enough character to stand out among the German scene before the speed/thrash takeover.

There are moments on Tales of Terror which are laughable, but the fun kind of laughable. Of course I speak of the intro to "Sword of Sagon" with some of the dorkiest, phoned in narration I've ever heard on a metal record. Surprisingly, the lyrics to most of the album are not so bad, comparable with most fantasy/heavy metal being released today. At the very least, they do service to melodic rockers like "Trust in the Fire", "Lost Legions", the shrieking "Night Stalker" and the closing track "When the Bat Bites". Stormwitch had a sound which mirrored the Metal Blade roster of American bands, there are similarities to early Lizzy Borden and Omen, with Aldrian's vocals soaring somewhere between those two poles.

There is nothing remarkable or even particularly unique about Tales of Terror, but it's a solid spin for nostalgia and the melodic hooks are still quite listenable. The album was well mixed, all the instruments balanced and, unlike many other records of this period, Aldrian's voice does not steal any thunder from the band. Certainly if you crave the more melodic side of 80s bands like Omen, Exxplorer, Lizzy Borden, Anvil, and the like, this is worth hunting down, along with the band's debut Walpurgis Night.

Highlights: Point of No Return, Night Stalker, When the Bat Bites

-autothrall
http://www.fromthedustreturned.com

Tales of Terror is one of the essential Stormwitch albums. This, along with Walpurgis Night and Stronger Than Heaven, is a great place to start for those who are new to this legendary band.

The album begins with the solemn tones of a Gregorian-styled monk's chant before you are taken from the point of no return into a world of adventure and breathtaking sights. Stormwitch are more subtle at drawing you into their world than some other fantasy-inspired bands. Instead of lyrics that utilize regal language to paint a landscape, Stormwitch's lyrics are such that the flow of the story is more powerful than the words used. Andy Aldrian's confident mid-range singing style compliments the equally subtle twists and turns of the music and his voice has a narrative quality to it that makes you feel as if he is recalling something that he experienced.

Tales of Terror features a variety of headbanging riffs, energetic solos, and mid-to-fast paced tempos. "Hell's Still Alive" is a menacing gallop with a bristling solo and Aldrian's scream near the end of the track is pure metal. "Arabian Nights" has a fun little skip in its step reminiscent of Iron Maiden's "Twilight Zone." There is an Arabian-flavored melody at 2:57 of this track that seems to come out of nowhere and provides a strong foundation for the solo that follows. Okay, Stormwitch. Admit it. Tony Iommi commandeered your studio during the twilight hours of a particularly rough day of recording and thundered forth those riffs in "Lost Legions." Tell us what you know! Kidding aside, that's a pounding monster of a track that stands out like a monolith on this album. All fans of Black Sabbath must listen to it now. From the impending doom of "Point of No Return" up through the final moments of the vampire-themed "When the Bat Bites," every song on this album is like its own self-contained world that makes you want to visit time and again. You might as well just hit the play button after the CD stops spinning because Stormwitch's music is just that addictive.

Musically, Stormwitch's performance on Tales of Terror is tight and executed in a way that seems to put the good of the song ahead of any sort of unnecessary histrionics. The mystery and magic conveyed through the lyrics is done in a believable way as opposed to the all too common overdramatic approach that some bands use when singing about fantasy concepts. The spoken-word introduction to "Sword of Sagon" may be an acquired taste for some, but the song itself is engaging enough to make you forget about that if that's not your cup of tea.

Overall, Tales of Terror is another engaging album where Stormwitch managed to create a mystical vibe by utilizing familiar elements through a composed and understated approach that invites you into their world where a host of exotic emotions await and to where you'll long to return even after the music ends.

If you're a fan of power metal or classic heavy metal and you've never listened to Stormwitch, then where have you been? Check out Tales of Terror now and experience what you've been missing.