TWISTED
TOWER DIRE – Make It Dark (2011)
Cruz Del Sur Music
Cruz Del Sur Music has established itself as one of
the most reliable metal labels of recent years, and one of its most notable
signings is the American band TWISTED TOWER DIRE, who now return with their
fifth full-length album. Their sound is rooted in power metal with distinctly epic
touches, yet it carries an identity that is difficult to mistake for anyone
else’s. The band’s first two records, “The Curse of Twisted Tower” and “The
Isle of Hydra”, remain particularly strong achievements and set a high standard
for everything that followed.
“Make It Dark” retains that recognizable character,
though it is noticeably more straightforward than the band’s earlier work,
favoring directness over elaborate arrangements. It is also the first album to
feature the group’s new vocalist, following the death of Tony Taylor, who had
sung on the previous four releases. His absence is an inevitable point of
comparison, but the new record holds up well under it.
The strongest stretch arrives in the closing section.
The last three songs, “The Stone”, “The Only Way” and “Slow Leopard”, are the
highlights of the album, while the opener “White Shadow” also makes a solid
first impression and sets the tone effectively. Taken as a whole, the album
stands among the finest classic metal releases of 2011 and can be recommended
without hesitation to fans of good power metal.
P.S.: This writer had the opportunity to see the band
live at the Up The Hammers festival in 2007, and would gladly welcome the
chance to see them again.
Ioannis Kaskamanidis
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