Twisted Tower Dire The Curse of Twisted Tower/The Isle of Hydra (reissues)
by Justin Gaines
Staff Writer
To celebrate the 10th anniversary of Twisted Tower Dire’s debut release The Curse of Twisted Tower, Heaven & Hell Records has released deluxe reissues of The Curse of Twisted Tower and the band’s 2001 follow-up The Isle of Hydra, both long out of print and notoriously difficult to track down.
To truly appreciate the early Twisted Tower Dire albums, you need to consider the era in which they were originally recorded. It’s difficult to imagine now, when fantasy-based traditional/power metal bands are literally a dime a dozen, but there was a time when that kind of music was as underground as it gets. That’s what makes Twisted Tower Dire’s unlikely beginning such a remarkable story. Unlike their European counterparts (think Blind Guardian, Morgana Lefay, Rhapsody et al), there was no built-in fanbase for traditional/power metal in America. It took real dedication for an American band to embrace the true metal sound in the mid 1990’s. Fortunately, the metal warriors in Twisted Tower Dire were up to the challenge.
Musically, these early Twisted Tower Dire albums are easy to sum up – classic metal inspired by Iron Maiden, Saxon, Warlord, Omen, Dio-era Black Sabbath. This is not sing-songy Freedom Call power metal or Hammerfall-style metal crusader anthems. It’s pure traditional heavy metal with an epic, fantasy-based lyrical focus, and unlike some bands, you’ll never have to convince anyone – ever – that Twisted Tower Dire is a METAL band.
The reissue of Curse of Twisted Tower features digitally remastered sound, a big plus when you consider the low production values of the original. It also features expanded liner notes (including gorgeous new cover artwork) and a second disc full of bonus material, including early demos (with female vocalist Janet Rubin), video footage, a Heaven & Hell Records MP3 sampler and other multimedia content.
The reissue of The Isle of Hydra also features digital remastering and a second disc featuring six cover songs (Voivod, UFO, Rush, Queensryche, Mercyful Fate and Manowar) plus additional multimedia content.
If you’re not familiar with Twisted Tower Dire, these reissues are the perfect way to get acquainted with the band. If you already know the band and have these early albums, the reissues give you plenty of reasons to replace your older versions.
Label: Heaven & Hell Records
Lineup:
Tony Taylor: Vocals
Dave Boyd: Guitar
Marc Stauffer: Drums
Jim Murad: Bass, Keyboards
Scott Waldrop: Lead and Acoustic Guitar
The Curse of Twisted Tower track listing:
Disc 1:
1. Land of Illusions
2. Hail Dark Rider
3. The Curse of Twisted Tower
4. The Epic War Never Ends
5. Rue of the Forsaken Sleepkeeper
6. Lament: Nocturne
7. The Valkyrie Death Squadrons
8. The Witch’s Eyes
Disc 2:
1. Rue of the Forsaken Sleepkeeper (’96)
2. Mourner in the Nethermists (’96)
3. Mourner in the Nethermists (’97)
4. Beyond the Gate (’97)
5. Home of Darkness (’97)
6. Starlight Requiem (’97)
The Isle of Hydra track listing:
Disc 1:
1. Battle Cry
2. The Isle of Hydra
3. When the Daylight Fades
4. The Dagger’s Blade
5. Ride the Night
6. The Longing
7. Sign of the Storm
8. Final Stand
9. Dying Breath
Disc 2:
1. Forgotten in Space (Voivod cover)
2. Give Her the Gun (UFO cover)
3. The Temples of Syrinx (Rush cover)
4. Queen of the Reich (Queensryche cover)
5. A Dangerous Meeting (Mercyful Fate cover)
6. Glory Ride (Black Sabbath cover)
Online: Official site
HRH Rating: 8.5/10