Virtuoso guitarist & songwriter Boguslaw Balcerak and his project CRYLORD are on fire as less than a year after their lastest album is releasing a new one. Boguslaw Balcerak’s CRYLORD fresh effort is titled ”Ashes II Ashes”, again, a musically strongly neo-classically influenced (read Richie Blackmore / 80s Yngwie) album plenty of traditional hard rock, at places with an AORish sound, rich on dynamics and groove.
Like on all previous, this 4th CRYLORD album again features multiple vocalists among the best for this genre: Goran Edman (ex Malmsteen, Karmakanic, Brazen Abbot), Rick Altzi (Masterplan, At Vance), Mark Boals (ex Malmsteen, ex Royal Hunt), David Akesson (Vypera, Vivaldi Metal Project), Harry Conklin (Riot V), and more
It’s this triumphant combination of experienced talented singers that will draw many to “Ashes II Ashes” and they won’t regret it.
While those vocals are indeed impressive they aren’t everything – the musical component is also very satisfying. There is added appeal on this album as Boguslaw playing erupts with terrific riffs and melodious solos.
So you would expect Boguslaw’s guitar to play a predominant role on this recording as he delivers those stirring riffs and solos but it isn’t overdone. His performance is entwined with very complementary keyboards and supported by a vibrant rhythm section. That include as well the always great keyboard solos so har to find in metal nowadays.
Speaking about melodic, neo-classical metal, regarding the genre there isn’t a bad song on the entire album. You have your couple of instrumentals as well in a classic Malmsteen 1990 fashion interspersed between energetic, very well performed and recorded hard rockers. They even do a terrific cover Of Deep Purple’s ‘Perfect Strangers’ as bonus track.
The talented crew that are Boguslaw Balcerak’s Crylord have come together and recorded a another memorable Neo-classical hard rock album that rises above many similar releases.
Highly Recommended
Tracklist:
01. Stand up and Fight (04:40)
02. Betrayer (04:48)
03. Shadows from the Past (04:40)
04. Ashes II Ashes (05:12)
05. Brothers and Sisters (04:39)
06. Love Is Illusion (04:10)
07. Don't Turn out the Lights (04:31)
08. Fire from the Sky (04:10)
09. Follow the Night (05:32)
10. Fire and Death (04:05)
11. Cry for the Nations (06:10)
12. Perfect Strangers Bonus Track Deep Purple (Cover) (06:06)
Boguslaw Balcerak’s CRYLORD [feat Goran Edman, Mark Boals] – Ashes II Ashes (2023)
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