Serious Black - As Daylight Breaks (2015)

This is a serious group consisted of member with amazing "ex-" attributes. First is Roland Grapow, of ex-you-know-which-band is. The vocalist is Urban Breed of Project Arcadia, Dark Empire, and Tad Morose anyone? The next personality is Thomen Stauch of ex-Blind Guardian. Then we got Dominik Sebastian from Edenbridge, Jan Vacik of Dreamscape and ex-Visions of Atlantis bassist, Mario Lochert. All on board, and let's examine the music they offered.

First of all, the group named themself Serious Black. Many sources said this is not just another Roland Grapow project but a real band. As Daylight Breaks is their debut album. Comes with bulky 14 songs, inclusive of bonuses, they are all melodic metal in general. The first impression on "I Seek No Other Life" is pretty much, utterly, standard melodic power, with speedy drums and thick harmonize vocals. Their stronger song is the followed up "High And Low" which offered some serious power metal with leading keyboard theme on top. The band try to be a bit of progressive in their third song "Sealing My Fate", where they begin the song in calm piano before everyone kicks in full blasts. Then the band going oriental with "Temple Of the Sun" and "Akhenaton", this is maybe their most memorable song in the album. If you want something more technical, tune in "My Mystic Mind".

One must said it is hard to initially get the band's style signature, as the band looks only intend to re-create good old melodic metal. Sound mixing is extremely crystal clear. Musically they are quite balance, the vocal parts are all excellently executed with many harmonies and choirs. Keyboardist Jan Vacik help bring up the atmosphere with fantastic background soundtrack, as evidence in "As Daylight Breaks". His progressive metal background is not wasted here. Duet guitar solos from Grapow and Dominic, crazy bass and drum playing. This all good things make easy for vocalist Urban Breed to just finish the composition with his strong character voices. Serious Black in As Daylight Breaks is a great all around melodic metal to enjoy.

Metal Harem class: ********* eight stars out of ten

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Serious Black - As Daylight Breaks  (2015)

01. I Seek No Other Life
02. High And Low
03. Sealing My Fate
04. Temple Of The Sun
05. Akhenaton
06. My Mystic Mind
07. Trail Of Murder
08. As Daylight Breaks
09. Someone Else s Life
10. Setting Fire To The Earth
11. Older And Wiser
12. Listen To The Storm
13. Fly On
14. No Son Of Mine

Line Up:
Urban Breed - Vocals (Project Arcadia, ex-Dark Empire)
Roland Grapow - Guitars (Masterplan, Roland Grapow, ex-Helloween)
Dominik Sebastian - Guitars (Edenbridge)
Mario Lochert - Bass (Emergency Gate, ex-Visions of Atlantis)
Jan Vacik - Keyboards (ex-Dreamscape)
Thomen Stauch - Drums (Savage Circus, ex-Blind Guardian, ex-Heavenward, ex-Iron Savior)