by Justin Gaines
– Senior Columnist/News Editor —
The new year is upon us, and we already have a contender for our “top ten of 2015” list wih As Daylight Breaks, the debut album from Serious Black. This is a new band – not just a one-off project – from some very familiar names in the melodic/power/progressive metal scenes. Serious Black features guitarist Roland Grapow (Masterplan, ex-Helloween), drummer Thomen Stauch (Savage Circus, ex-Blind Guardian), bassist Mario Lochert (Emergency Gate, ex-Visions of Atlantis), guitarist Dominik Sebastian (Edenbridge), keyboardist Jan Vacik (ex-Dreamscape) and vocalist Urban Breed (Trail of Murder, ex-Tad Morose, ex-Bloodbound).
The collaboration between Grapow – one of the best songwriters in melodic metal – and Breed – one of the best vocalists in melodic metal – alone should be enough to get most fans’ attention, but Serious Black is more than just these two individuals, and As Daylight Breaks doesn’t simply sound like a Masterplan album with a different vocalist. The songwriting was collaborative, so you can hear elements of each member’s past bands on this album. Overall, the band found a perfect meeting point between power metal and melodic metal with this album.
As Daylight Breaks is just a fantastic melodic metal album all around. Stauch and Lochert keep things fast and heavy, but between Grapow’s melodic lead guitar work and Breed’s powerful soaring vocals this album is all about huge melodies. Breed has been something of a journeyman of late, but he fits so very well here. So much so that it feels like Serious Black is where he truly belongs. Having Grapow – a very capable singer in his own right – on backing vocals doesn’t hurt either.
It’s hard to call out specific songs when the whole album is this good, but if you’re looking for an idea of Serious Black’s overall sound, you’ll want to sample leadoff single “I Seek No Other Life,” the very Tad Morose-sounding “Akhenaton,” and the powerful “Setting Fire to the Earth.” Aside perhaps from the brief instrumental “Temple of the Sun,” you won’t find a forgettable song on As Daylight Breaks.
If you’re a fan of melodic and power metal, particularly bands like Masterplan, Avantasia, Tad Morose, Allen-Lande and Stratovarius, As Daylight Breaks is your first “must-have” album of 2015. This is melodic metal magic, and with any luck this will be the first of many albums from Serious Black.
Edition Notes: The limited edition CD release of As Daylight Breaks comes in a digipack and features three bonus tracks.
Genre: Heavy Metal, Melodic Metal, Power Metal
Band:
Urban Breed (v)
Roland Grapow (g)
Dominik Sebastian (g)
Mario Lochert (b)
Jan Vacik (k)
Thomen Stauch (d)
Track Listing:
1. I Seek No Other Life
2. High and Low
3. Sealing My Fate
4. Temple of the Sun
5. Akhenaton
6. My Mystic Mind
7. Trail of Murder
8. As Daylight Breaks
9. Setting Fire to the Earth
10. Listen to the Storm
11. Older and Wiser
Label: AFM Records
Website: www.serious-black.com
Hardrock Haven rating: 9/10
