Genre: Heavy/Power Metal

Label: Century Media

IS Rating: 7

Comments: Power fivesome have returned  to embarass us with songs that ooze parmessan cheese.

Release Date: January 25, 2010

Never without their sense of tongue-in-cheek humor, Dream Evil bring us the follow up to 2006’s ridiculous “United” and dude, the tired cliches and high voltage power on this release come mashed together in disgusting matrimony. As expected, the band’s hare-brained attempts at metal glory is one fun ride, albeit laden with hooks, stupid lyrics, and themes long past their expiration date. And did we mention hooks? Because the awful truth is between Pat Power, Richie Rainbow, Danee Demon, and Jenna Jameson—whatever the porn star-ish names these guys use—Dream Evil have a writing team to be reckoned with. These inglorious bastards know what makes a song worth raising your fist (or sword) to and they deliver such material in spades.

Invigorating ironclad opener “Immortal” packs the kind of guitars and Manowarian reverence that would inspire many tweens to grow chest hair. It’s a martial anthem for loin clothed fighting men that offers awe-inspiring moments of choir-like backing vocals and breathtaking epicness. Then the title track rumbles in and proves the album’s heaviest dish until the brainless “Bang Your Head” induces fits of, well, head banging. Following a blueprint they helped create together with Hammer Fall and Primal Fear in the beginning of the decade, an obligatory power ballad (titled “The Ballad”) lands on the listener like bird droppings before the band’s muscles are once again flexed on the chugging “Frostbite,” the infectious pair “See the Light” and “On The Wind” plus the as(s)inine “Kill, Burn, Be Evil.”

Having tapped their inner Dr. Seus for appropriate lyrics and delivered on all levels with panache (singer Nigh Night has balls of steel!), Dream Evil once again create an album the world can enjoy. In fact, this should have been a Christmas release with its liveliness, sickening energy, and comic appeal. Maybe in the future...a full fledged Dream Evil Christmas album perhaps?

Miquel Blardony