Power Quest

There are musical moments that - when experienced - will define the rest of your future life. The first time I heard Helloween's Keeper Of The Seven Keys, part II was such a moment. Upon hearing Eagle Fly Free that song instantly became my favorite tune of ALL metal genres, EVER, and it still is. I knew that this was the music I wanted to listen to, this is what I would live for. Since then, only a few albums have come as close as Keepers...: Stratovarius' Infinite, Sonata Arctica's Silence, Edguy's Theater Of Salvation and most recently, Insania's Fantasy. Now, another album can be added to those, namely POWER QUEST's Neverworld. Having already released an album called Wings Of Forever, the guys return with their second effort, and, wow... The first time I heard the title track of Neverworld my thoughts were instantly brought back to Eagle Fly Free. It was that good. And the rest of the album blew me away too. I knew, that no matter how big the guys of POWER QUEST would make it (or not) I would want to follow their endeavors, their development. The magic was there.

So now Steve Williams (keyboards & main songwriter), Steve Scott (bass), Alessio Garavello (vocals, also Arthemis), Andrea Martongelli (guitars, also Arthemis) and Gavin Ward (drums, even though departed sticksman Andre Bargmann plays on the record) return with their second full length Neverworld, and if you haven't already got my point, well here it is again: It is fucking marvelous. Splendid. Brilliant. Of course, my feelings toward a record cannot be accurately conveyed in a written review. You'll have to see me waving my fist in the air to galloping, epic tracks such as Neverworld (Power Quest II), Temple Of Fire & Sacred Land, you'll have to watch my shaking body convulse to such pearls as Edge Of Time, Well Of Souls & Into The Light, you'll have to pay attention to my trembling lower lip as I enjoy the heart wrenching ballad When I'm Gone. By the way, I want that song played on my funeral. It is so damned beautiful.

Always melodic, (almost) always fast as hell, and always catchy, POWER QUEST have forged their own brand of metal, and although deeply inspired by the likes of Stratovarius, Edguy, and Helloween, they have developed a sound that has become uniquely their own. Steve Williams is a very gifted songwriter, inasmuch as he makes each and EVERY composition stand out, while at the same time blending in nicely with the other songs. And God, the man knows how to pen a catchy tune! Some power metal bands could really apply for his services nowadays. Production wise the sound could best be described as crystal clear (the album was produced by Karl Groom, of Threshold). Crank the volume up to eleven, to get that shredding guitar piercing your eardrums the right way. Oh, and by the way, Andrea Martongelli's solos are out of this world too. Just listen to Neverworld and you'll get my point.

The Japanese version of the album features two bonus tracks: Find Your Way To The Top, written by Andrea and Alessio, and an alternate version of When I'm Gone, featuring Sabine Edelsbacher of Edenbridge on lead vocals. For us Europeans, a multimedia section with a video and an interview can be found on the CD. And since I've mentioned every track but one, do not forget For Evermore which could possibly be described as "pretty damn catchy". Well... The way 80's keyboards are used in the beginning of this song, as well as in Edge Of Time only adds another dimension to what already is a perfect band. Long live POWER QUEST, and here's to another ten albums!