FIFTH ANGEL - Fifth Angel

FIFTH ANGEL - Fifth Angel

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\r\nWhen I wrote the review for the first album of Hittman, Fifth Angel came to my mind because their histories are quite the same. The five-member group from Seattle released its homonymous debute album in 1986, an amazing work, which made the metal fans of that time to hymn them. The continuity was not propotional to this work, as the album "Time Will Tell", which was released a few years later was an indifferent hard’ n heavy album, which disappointed all the fans. The result was the early end of their career. \r\n

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\r\nFifth Angel was a creation of Ken Mary, one of the best and much in demand session drummers of that time. With him were the excellent Ed Archer and James Byrd in guitars (the first one has played bass also, as the bassist Kenny Kay has left before they came into the studio) and Ted Pilot in vocals. It would be better if Pilot wasn’t in the group, not because his hasn’t a good voice, but because his voice is indifferent and he doesn’ t offer anything to the group. Fortunately, Terry Date made the production in such a way in which Pilot isn’t heard much and so the loss isn’t too big! Date, who is one of the greatest names in the domain of production, having co-opereted with groups such as Dream Theater, Overkill, Metal Church, Pantera and others is responsible for the amazing, clear sound, which helps a lot the final result. \r\n

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\r\nThe album "Fifth Angel" moves in the domain of melodic, american Heavy-Power Metal and it’s really an enjoyable album. All the compositions vary from very good to excellent, full of the hard riffs of Archer-Byrd and the extremely hard drums of Mary. It’s hard to mark out a song and be sure that you will listen to them all continuously, without having to press the next button to go to the next song. Each of us will find its favourites ones, according to his/her taste. One of my favoirutes is surely the fast "In The Fallout", the first song of the album. The song "Fiflth Angel" is the one which has been heard a lot and the one that one bears in mind, than any other song. I would rather say that the best song of the album is its last one. The "Fade Of Flames" begins with a melodic introduction and becomes a thunerstorm of riffs and a great solo. The bast way for an album, that you will realy love and enjoy, to come to an end. \r\n

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\r\nUnfortunately, Fifth Angel made the same mistake like Hittman. They’ve decided to make their sound softer, in order to come closer to an much wider audience, and in the end they’ve lost this they’ve already had. Since then, Ken Mary continued to earn its living by playing in albums of Alice Cooper, Chastain, Kip Winger, Lanny Cordola, House Of Lords, Bonfire, Impelliteri, The Beach Boys (!!!) and of many others. He also participated in James Byrd’s "Atlantis Rising" , the first personal album of the guitarist of Fifth Angel, which was released in 1987, a little after he has left the band. Today, Mary has his own studio and his own company of production and sound processing. \r\n

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\r\nI’ve heard somewhere that a reunion of the group for some lives is in preperation. Good luck gyus and I hope to a miracle in order to see you live! I would like, however, Mary "forget" to make a phonecall to Pilot to tell him that..this would be sure a miracle...!! \r\n

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\r\nAntonis Alexandropoulos \r\n

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\r\nTranslation in English: Aliki Maxoutoglou \r\n

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