At Vance Ride the Sky

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by Justin Gaines
Staff Writer

Ride the Sky is the eighth studio album from German power metal band At Vance. Naming their album Ride the Sky is a pretty ballsy move for a band from Germany, when you consider just how iconic Helloween’s song “Ride the Sky” is. Still, it’s not Helloween that comes to mind once this album starts playing, but rather the (now defunct) band Ride the Sky that was formed by former Helloween drummer Uli Kusch. In recent years, bands like Ride the Sky, Masterplan, Mob Rules and At Vance have moved the German power metal sound a bit further from Helloween’s shadow. Their sound is more refined and less, well…Helloweenish. And that’s a good thing.

Which brings us back to At Vance. The band is still somewhat in flux. They’re breaking in a new bass player (Wolfman Black) here, and drummer Alex Landenburg and vocalist Rick Altzi are still relatively new. Guitarist Olaf Leik is the only original member. It’s still hard to imagine At Vance without Oliver Hartmann on vocals, and Mats Leven left just when he was starting to seem like a good fit for the band, but you can’t deny Rick Altzi’s strength as a vocalist. He doesn’t waste time trying for Michael Kiske-esque high notes, instead taking a more soulful approach (influenced by Jorn Lande, perhaps) that gives Ride the Sky some heart to go with Olaf Leik’s precision and power. Leik is actually downright neoclassical with some of his solos here. You can’t help but think this is what an Yngwie Malmsteen album would sound like Yngwie knew how to write actual songs.

Between metal anthems (“Torn – Burning Like Fire”), fast-paced numbers (“End of Days”) and unexpected tributes (Vivaldi’s “Summer, 2nd Set” and Free’s “Wishing Well”), At Vance has come up with a winning formula that should appeal to fans of power metal, neoclassical metal and melodic hard rock.

Ride the Sky probably isn’t as essential as recent releases from Mob Rules and Primal Fear, but it’s not too far behind either. It’s another strong At Vance album, and another example of why Germany continues to dominate the world of power metal.

Label: AFM Records

Track Listing:

1. Ride the Sky
2. Torn – Burning Like Fire
3. Last in Line
4. Wishing Well
5. Salvation Day
6. Vivaldi, Summer – 2nd Set
7. Power
8. You and I
9. End of Days
10. Falling
11. Farewell

Online: www.at-vance.com

Hardrock Haven rating: 7.5/10