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Skyliner are a new Heavy Metal band in the vein of Grave Digger and Running Wild who have a lot of promise for their young age. This demo, while unpolished and notably underproduced, is just full of galloping metallic glee and a healthy dose of the true metal spirit that I never get tired of.

The playing here is confident, with some good riffs and vocals that are clean and powerful, if not quite developed yet. The production is sketchy, with the drums being too loud and the guitars not being loud enough, but it's a demo, so it's somewhat excusable. The songs themselves are actually pretty long and elaborate, with a good sensibility for melody and speed. They don't sound like they're about to trip over themselves or like they're not trying hard enough - it's just the perfect medium between the two. Very comfortable, knowledgeable playing. I'm impressed, if I must say!

And of course the riffs, how can I forget the riffs on a metal album? Classic metal riffs in the vein of the aforementioned Running Wild and Grave Digger fuel this demo with an energetic fire that makes songs like the hundred-mile-a-minute "Symphony in Black" and the rattling "Vendetta" absolutely first rate. The third song here is "Aria of the Waters," a soothing, mystical epic with soaring, longing vocals and a fitting motif for your travels at sea.

So this is really good for a young band. I look forward to seeing what they do in the future, and if they can do more like this in the future, then they have a very promising one ahead of them. Recommended.