ALTONA

Turkey on the rocks... Altona is a turkish metal band, who have been around for quite a while. This is their first official album since the band was founded in 1996 (not counting a self released Thrash EP from 1999). Listening to this album, it is clear that the musicians know what they are doing, the rhythm section lays down a layer of low on top of which guitaris Aytac Dasedemir does his tricks. All in all, everything is there - good guitar riffs, driving bass work (Onur Burgaz knows what to do with 6 strings of the thick kind), double bass drumming. Technically, it's all there, and the long instrumental parts and solo's are certainly worth checking out. I enjoy the instrumental parts most - partly because of good musicianship, partly because I have some difficulties with Vadang Makelatia's voice. That's a matter of taste, likely - the voice reminds me a bit of the too thin vocals in the work of 80's metal band Easily the best track on the album is Field of Hope, which is the least straightforward metal track on the album, and which features acoustic guitar and (from what I hear) probably also a native turkish string instrument. Eternal Depth is of the same variation, while Autumn Song shows that the band has a somewhat mellower side as well.

All in all, a good listen for prog metal fans. Not the most exceptional (read original) album of the past 10 years in the genre, but certainly also far from worst. The vocals, I take for granted, others may enjoy them more.