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This is one album where Aria ditched a lot of glaring similarities with the likes of Iron Maiden and ventured into something different. I like the album overall, but I find it's a little too tame, lacking the hard-hitting, crunchy numbers that were plenty on previous albums. Here Aria present a few rockers for sure, but the balance tips more toward slower, less "metallic" songs, if you will. No doubt that these are actually good songs per se, but the result is an album that lacks the sheer energy of their past output. Some of the faster, crunchier songs also sound a little groovier than in the past. As usual, the vocals are impeccable and infectious, though I can't stand the chorus on "Run for the Sun" (or is that "Run to the Sun"—translations vary). If you're looking for something more Maiden-ish, "Deception" is one that almost feels like a leftover from a previous recording session as it's kind of an outlier on the album, though it does fit anyway. So, this is a good album that sees the band experimenting more with their sound, but it's just a little too tame for its own good.