Their second disc but maybe, just maybe, their best
CellFreak | Memphis, TN USA | 09/24/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is Manticora's second studio effort and is a nearly perfect work. 8 Deadly Sins still holds a slight edge as their best work. I heard Manticora's albums in reverse (good music is so hard to get in the States - but these great CDs are now available to us) but I absolutely LOVED this disc. The first song (second track - The Chance of Dying in a Dream) is one of Manticora's best songs of all time. It perfectly embodies all that makes Manticora the nigh-perfect band that they are.
My reviews of their other albums will give you an idea of their musical style but here is a quick synopsis:
Beautifully matched dual guitars in perfect synthesis with an extremely good keyboardist backed by superb bass and some of the best drumming that I have ever heard (and I have heard a lot). But what makes this all so perfect is the vocals of Lars Larsen. They stay at octaves that don't shatter glass and have the most subtle agressive edge that makes you wonder if it is there at all. Beautiful range, great emotion, and complete control over the harmony - perfectly matched to the song and containing just the right emotion at each point.
The tracks that REALLY stand out are (and yes, I am about to name half the disc as the standouts)
Chance of Dying in a Dream - like I said, the perfect Manticora song. You want to know what to expect from Manticora, listen to this song.
Felice/The Nightfall War - parts 3 and 4 of the "The Saga of the Exiles" (the first two are on Roots of Eternity). Great music, soulful singing - a mix of slower and faster song structures but prefectly melded into a whole.
Critical Mass - a very progressive song. The keyboards form the perfect backdrop for this song to play out on.
Lost Souls - Man what a song! You should hear the pounding rhythms from the middle of the song, topped with perfectly structured vocal lines. AMAZING
The Twilight Shadow - Another nearly perfect song. This one is available from the band's website if you just HAVE to hear them first. Listen to it, and the Hyperion and 8 Deadly Sins songs. You will be convinced that Manticora is one of the greatest bands with so much to offer, one can never tire of them
Shadows With Tales to Tell - Classic Manticora - blazing solos and drums intermixed with slower tempo interludes all seemlessly pieced together and held unified by the best voice in Power metal.
Please read all my reviews of Manticora (Amazon has about 3 versions of each album, so you might have to search a bit) and then click on Buy This Item, you will be so happy that you did."
Progressive thrash metal isn't an oxymoron!
D. Tonya | Barber-tucky, Ohio | 11/06/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"My early college years were spent listening to the giants of thrash metal like Metallica, Megadeth, VoiVod, and Anthrax; especially the latter. 15 years later, I still crave for the occasional fast, thrashy sound that none of these bands any longer produce. So I took a chance on Manticora after reading some reviews of one of their early albums.
I'm glad I did, DwTtT is the kind of thrashy sounding metal album I've been looking forward. As I've gotten older, my tastes in music have migrated to the complexity of progressive rock and progressive metal. Manticora manages to take the fast, chunky riffs of the thrash metal I crave and combine it with the musical sophistication of symphonic and progressive metal. Manticora are part old school thrash mixed with elements of Iced Earth and Iron Maiden (the progressive era).
The album kicks off with "The Chance of Dying in a Dream" which has some of the fastest thrash riffs I've heard in a long time. This is the kind of riffing that makes Metallica's "Metal Militia" sound slow in comparison. The other songs on this album aren't quite as fast, but still no less addictive.
Where Manticora really shows something new is in the opening to "Dragon's Mist". This song starts off with some really creepy church organ which fades into the background during the heavier guitar riffs before increasing in the mix during the refrain. This is the first metal band that has found the perfect way to integrate keyboards without losing their guitar driven soul. Make no mistake, Manticora are a guitar band to the core with the keyboards just adding the right amount of flavor. There's no excessive Dream Theater like keyboard wankery here, though there are a few really awesome keyboard solo's here and there.
And a special note about the mixing and mastering. This album is perfect. It has the right amount of crunch and bass extension while having a warm, smooth sound. Yeah, that may sound like an odd comment on a metal album, but what I mean is that there isn't any hint of midrange harshness or compression. Every instrument is perfectly clear and distinct. You can listen to this album at high volumes for hours without ear fatigue, which to me is the best compliment I can give any mastering job.
So if you like thrash metal, but want something more sophisticated and mature, Manticora is a band you've got to hear. They have created a unique sound in a genre that is a glut with Dream Theater clones and old school wanna-be's. Here's a band with some serious talent and song writing chops. Highly recommended."
Track Listings (12) - Disc #1