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Review: Nostradameus - Words Of Nostradameus
Nostradameus
Words Of Nostradameus

Label: AFM Records
Year released: 2000
Duration: 46:08
Tracks: 11
Genre: Power Metal

Rating:
4/5


Review online: December 24, 2010
Reviewed by: Bruce Dragonchaser
Readers' Rating
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Rated 3.93/5 (78.52%) (27 Votes)
Review

Yellow and purple cover art, song titles like "The Crown's Inn" and "Master Of The Night", mixed and mastered at Finnvox and band pictures with long hair and leather trousers. I wonder what kind of music Swedish upstarts Nostradameus play...of course, not! We should all know these guys, as they have been working for many years now, producing a steady output which includes some sweet albums such as Hellbound and The Prophet Of Evil. They've turned all dark and nasty on us over the past couple of years, but back in 2000, Nostradameus were all about the Power Metal, and the most generic kind at that.

As a debut, this is extremely well recorded, and apart from the vocals of Freddy Persson (which I quite like on later albums), everything here sounds very professional. With an intro much like the one from Edguy's Vain Glory Opera, Words Of Nostradameus kicks off in the 90s vein, all double kicks, tremolo harmony riffs, and big chorus melodies that make you want to get up and join the nearest battle recreation society. Back to the vocals, Persson isn't a bad vocalist, sounding a touch like Kai Hansen, but his voice is limited and this sometimes stops songs like "Nightmare Prophecy" and "Brother In Chains" from becoming as catchy as they could be. There are still some immense Power Metal workouts here, including opener "The Vision", "One For All, All For One" (which features Joacim Cans from HammerFall, of course), and the rousing "Out Of This World", which is a furious blaster that would be right at home on Gamma Ray's Land Of The Free.

If you like melodic Power Metal played with fantastical zeal, go ahead and get this. It's derivative beyond belief, and Nostradameus have released heavier, more agile records in their career, but this is their most immediately enjoyable. Fans of Helloween, Steel Attack, and Gamma Ray should have this on their shelf, no question.

More about Nostradameus...
Review: Hellbound (reviewed by Bruce Dragonchaser)
Review: Illusion's Parade (reviewed by Christopher Foley)
Review: Illusion's Parade (reviewed by MetalMike)
Review: The Prophet Of Evil (reviewed by Michel Renaud)
Review: The Third Prophecy (reviewed by Christopher Foley)
Review: Words Of Nostradameus (reviewed by Michel Renaud)
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