Dawnrider - Fate is calling pt. l 4/5
Reviewed: 12-16-05
Tracklist:
1. The awakening of Kerodet
2. When our troops unite
3. They conquered
4. Fate is calling
5. The final trial
6. Guarding the gate
7. Awaiting the night
8. Gift of dawn
9. Assassin
10. Dawnrider
11. Master of the black
12. Revenge
13. Parce is free
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'Fate is calling pt. l' is a metal opera by Tarek Maghary, lead singer of the metal band Majesty. While that band is very straightforward and simple in a Manowar kind of way, Dawnrider is more varied, has a much bigger, thicker, more epic sound and is simply better than Majesty. True to its label as a metal opera, 'Fate is calling pt. l' features a variety of singers and musicians with the members of Majesty participating and Maghary doing a good amount, but certainly not all, of the vocals. This CD has a good variety of fast and slow tracks, melodic and heavier pieces and even mixes in some female vocals. The sound is good, heavy and fitting for the style of music. The production is good enough, but it is muddier than needed and not as sharp as it could be. The production doesn’t ruin the CD, but it is not a strength of the CD either.
Overall, the songwriting is good. Maghary isn’t a good enough songwriter to write mind-blowing melodies that will lift the CD all by themselves. But the songwriting on this CD is good, varied and is almost always interesting, if not always unique. Most of the vocals are also good, but not great. The songwriting is a little stronger in the first half of the CD with excellent tracks like “When our troops unite” and “They conquered”. The title track follows, opening with an excellent soft piano piece and some good female vocals. “The final trial” has a soft middle part, but around it has the heaviest parts of the CD. Some highlights from the slightly weaker 2nd half of the CD are the slow, hypnotic “Dawnrider”, “Master of the black” which is good all the way through and has some interesting backing keyboards, and the finale “Parce is free” which brings back the female vocals in the backing choir parts.
This is a very good CD which should leave many listeners eagerly awaiting future releases from the band. While Majesty is a very solid band itself, Dawnrider outdoes it by being more adventurous, interesting, epic and varied. The songwriting is more consistent than brilliant, but there is very good attention to detail which keeps everything interesting and pleasing to listen to. The whole is bigger than the sum of the parts on this CD which doesn’t feature a tremendous number of great tracks, but is an overall very good CD.
DAVID
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