Eye of the Storm

What can be referred to alternatively as a "Cold Lake" moment or a Kiske moment is something that can happen to any band, when least expected. Maybe they're feeling bored of the formula that had served them well up to that point and decide to be creatively adventurous (we tend to label the resulting albums "experimental"). Maybe their ambition is to finally get on the radio and start selling more albums to the normaloids who only listen to Top 10 rock. Whatever the ulterior motives, the resulting opus is most often met with a mixture of confusion, derision or outright anger by the band's established audience, with the risk of alienating a portion of loyalists as the trade-off for getting a few new ears on the product. In a somewhat peculiar twist of fate, Stormwitch got the jump on Helloween when it came to experiencing their Kiske moment, releasing "Eye of the Storm" two years before "Pink Bubbles Go Ape" dropped. Meaning that we cannot accuse Stormwitch of trying to emulate everything Helloween did for good or for ill. The sharply-dressed metal gentlemen tried their luck at selling out before the pumpkins even had the chance to set the precedent in the field of German power metal.

To clarify, "Eye of the Storm" can hardly be considered either a heavy or power metal album as there is precious little of either genre to be found on it. "Paradise" is an acceptable opener albeit with a softer/smoother edge, but remains an enjoyable listen and doesn't stray far from the band's aesthetic. The synth establishes a dream-like mood while electric and acoustic guitars work rather well together. The female backing vocals return to lend the same "pretty" sheen as on the song "The Beauty and the Beast". The guitar solo isn't bad either, the resulting piece coming across as somewhat by-the-numbers as far as glam-tinged metal goes but still not offensive to the ear. Title track "Eye of the Storm" is cheerful, pop-infused "Power Metal 101" that listeners would expect on the debut EP of a fresh-faced band just breaking into the business, less so from journeymen with four full-length albums already under their belt. But I dare not allow myself to be too harsh with it, as this track is the only one on here that can be thoroughly classified as power metal without hesitation. And again, the solo comes across as satisfactory, gotta be grateful for small blessings. I can already sense the scattered tribes of Cro-Magnons salivating at the chance to emerge from their caves and hurl stones in the band's direction while uttering their guttural war cries of "Ha! Flower metal is fucking GAY!". But I would advise them against straining their reptilian brains too hard in doing so as "Eye of the Storm" cannot be categorized as a power metal album even by very liberal standards; one power metal track does not a power metal album make and I'm stretching here to even fully categorize this as a heavy metal release in a broader sense. The last remaining song that I'd fully classify as heavy metal is "Steel in the Red Light", which is the one song on this LP most closely resembling Stormwitch's Gothic horror-inspired style, with its darker tone and dramatic build-up to the backdrop of a Jack the Ripper murder-mystery yarn. The stylistic decision to deviate from the standard verse-chorus-verse-chorus-solo-chorus structure and instead concentrate the hook at the end of the song (repeated by a female chorus until fade out) is actually a nice touch, aligning the climax of the song with when the Ripper supposedly strikes. So all things considered, the most worthwhile track on this album. Finally, "King of the Ring" (...IN the Ring? Fair enough) is somewhat ambitious in its incorporating of gongs to set a regal tone but doesn't prove a very memorable song. The vocals become out of sync with the rhythm by the end, so not the most well-crafted track out there.

At this point, we've covered all the material on this album that can be filed under "heavy metal" with a straight face. So 4 out of 10 tracks. Everything else is either power ballads or some sort of rock and/or roll. "Tarred and Feathered" is the kind of music that would give Michael Kiske an erection, along with the frustrated envy of not coming up with that exact same composition himself. Glammed up to the gills, harmonica included. The instrumental "Rondo a la Turca" feels completely unnecessary aside from being an outlet for Lee Tarot to show off his guitar ability, in stark contrast to earlier instrumental "Dorian Gray" which actually fit in with its album and showcased Tarot's riffage in spades.

So that leaves the ballads! You want ballads? We've got ballads on our ballads. No less than four, so the same percentage as the album's metallic content. I have stated in the past that I do not harbor anti-ballad sentiment, but this wears thin on my patience. There are bloody limits to the sheer amount of radio-friendly pap you can cram onto one release. Two of them aren't even bad, I will freely admit that "Heart of Ice" would fit in nicely on any given Stormwitch album and that I legit enjoyed "I Want You Around". The sort of power ballad that gets stuck in your head and you ain't even mad, very much in the same vein as "Every Rose Has Its Thorn". But stick two additional snorefests in there ("Another World Apart" and "Take Me Home") and you've just doomed the album. I really don't know about you, but whenever I decide to milk a cheat day for all it's worth and go overboard with the sugary food, I get the drizzling shits. My digestive system protests against having to process such an excessive amount of sugar. That is exactly how I feel after listening to this album. One truly touching and classy ballad like "Tears in the Firelight" from the album preceding this one is worth four of the ballads from "Eye of the Storm".

This album is a lost cause. Even its Weakipedia article informs us that it was not well-received, imagine my shock and dismay. The gambit did not pay off, Stormwitch were not signed by some mega-label to become a household name selling albums sight unseen. What's worse, the band went through a line-up shuffle that saw the departure of long-time guitarists Tarot and Merchant, leaving the band's future in uncertainty. Stormwitch did manage to bounce back with a new roster but the release of something as forgettable as "Eye of the Storm" didn't do them any favors.

Standout tracks: "I Want You Around", "Eye of the Storm", "Steel in the Red Light"

What we have is a very melodic and soft traditional/power metal album. The addition of several ballad type songs will no doubt put off many metalheads, but this is not as bad as it at first seems. The album opens with a catchy slab of speed metal (though with a very cheesy chorus) before slowing to mid pace for the remainder of the album. "Tarred and Feathered" has some nice guitar work and amusing lyrics, before softening into semi ballad "Heart of Ice". We are then given a fantastically arranged version of the Mozart "Ronda ala Turca" (possibly the best song on the album) "I Want You Around" is a full-on love ballad, slightly cheesy in areas, but an enjoyable listen. "King In The Ring" and "Paradise" take a more traditional metal approach, with some interesting riffs. The album dives back into ballad territory with the semi accoustic and slow "Take Me Home". The more metallic "Steel In The Red Light" displays vocalist Andy Muck's big range well. "Another World Apart" closes the album with a soft, mid paced approach, which is passable.

This album should appeal to fans of traditional or power metal, provided you can tolerate (or like) the addition of a few ballads. Enjoyable, but not overly memorable or interesting, it is however, worth a listen.