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Review: Stormwind - Resurrection
Stormwind
www.stormwind.nu
Resurrection

Label: Black Lodge Records
Year released: 2020
Originally released in: 2000
Duration: 1:07:40
Tracks: 14
Genre: Power Metal

Rating:
3.75/5


Review online: January 3, 2021
Reviewed by: MetalMike
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Rated 3.4/5 (68%) (5 Votes)
Review

Stormwind is a Swedish band that originated at the dawn of the modern power metal movement in the mid-90s alongside Stratovarius, Edguy, Burning Point, et al. Their debut came out in 1996 and they released five more full-length albums before founder/guitarist Thomas Wolf put the band on hold in 2003. I was never aware of them despite my love of "happy" power metal, but this re-release of their fourth album Resurrection, by Black Lodge, is a chance to give them a listen.

As stated, this is power metal of the double-kick drums, high-pitched vocals, neoclassical guitars and sweeping keyboard variety. Your first impression may be one of "I've heard this before", but 20 years ago when this was originally released the style was still on the upswing and the scene just starting to become saturated. The glossy, fast numbers remind me of Norway's TNT, who were carried by Tony Harnell's clear, ringing vocals and Ronni Le Tekro's fanciful guitars. Stormwind slow things down and there are a couple of forgettable ballads but also mid-tempo stuff with heady lyrics based in history ("Holy Land", "Marco Polo", the latter one of the five bonus tracks included on this reissue) that possess emotional vocal lines and slightly Middle Eastern melodies that sound like, but predate, Serenity. If you like "happy" power metal and missed these guys the first time around, this reissue of Resurrection is worth your attention. While it may sound overly familiar today, and even back when it was released, Stormwind weren't coloring outside the lines much, they were in the creative vanguard of this style.

More about Stormwind...
Review: Reflections (reviewed by MetalMike)
Review: Rising Symphony (reviewed by MetalMike)
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