Translated from the original French
HOLY SOLDIER's music lives up to their reputation. The heavy of this Holy Soldier is very melodic, but it stays heavy ("Lake Of Fire", "Last Days"). Steve Patrick's vocals are excellent, powerful, nicely polished ("Don't Walk Away", "Heart's Desire",...). The backing vocals are equally well conceived ("Don't Walk Away", "You Don't Know Me"). "Don't Walk Away" is a semi-slow, with an acoustic intro and conclusion, washed over with keyboards. "Heart's Desire" hits harder: Michael Cutting and Jamie Cramer stage a guitar duel that is very complete, and melodic, now slow, now fast. "You Don't Know Me" is a slow in which the guitar duo weeps in melody. In the chorus, towards the end of the track, one notes vocal effects which show off the vocal cords (golden ones!) of Steven Patrick. HOLY SOLDIER's vocalist is one of the most impressive WM singers, alongside Michael Sweet and Sonny Larsson. "Last Days" is introduced on acoustic, but it is the heaviest track on the demo. The same vocal effects (used on "You Don't Know Me") are used again on this intro. The guitar solo is far faster and richer than on the other tracks. A treat!! And Steve Patrick uses his upper vocal register to howl that we are living in the last days. It is also on this track that Terry "The Animal" Russell, the drummer, gives the best of himself. HOLY SOLDIER is above all a pop metal band, if one judges by the intros, the melodies and the compositions, but the band has a good heavy sound overall. The demo sparkles with professionalism, as much in the tracks selected as in the sound. A word of advice: do not pass HOLY SOLDIER by without lending them an ear (and the other one too, while you are at it!!)...
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