Band : Cypher Seer

Title album : Awakening Day

Record label : Sentinel Steel

Distribution : Hellion

Release date : April 2008

Review : CD

So this release is a little old, lots of what I got from Sentinel Steel (Steel Assassin and Sacred Oath) was released last year but still worthy of review. What you get on Awakening Day is epic/heavy metal that fits right in with Helstar, Iced Earth, Gamma Ray, Symphony X and Stratovarius. Formerly known as Malakis Reign, (singer James Rivera (Helstar, Destiny's End, Seven Witches), and bassist Mike LePond (Symphony X) were briefly members, appearing on the band's first demo), CYPHER SEER's current, definitive line-up includes past and present members of Gothic Knights, Arctic Flame, Onward, Crescent Shield and Legend Maker

Awakening Day is a metal album by any account, with thundering drums, epic vocals, and driving guitars. The music is tight, concise and very well written, but not overdone to the point of going too far.

Even when they slow down a bit, as on “Walk through hell” the band still has a forceful presence. The symphonic keys give the songs of Cypher Seer a progressive quality that fits with their pounding metal in an interesting way. Though they do use keyboards a lot, the screaming melodic arpeggio guitar work is the dominant factor here! Most of the songs are medium-paced rockers, although occasionally the heat gets turned up a bit and things move a little faster. Lead singer Michael Grant doesn't quite reach the god-like level of previous band member James Rivera , but he creates some captivating vocal melodies and he doesn't shriek, he sings with a stirring emotional edge.

It takes a little while for the CD to grow on you, but even so, I wouldn't consider Cypher Seer a groundbreaking band. But what I hear is some great metal from a band that has lots of potential.

88/100

Cosmicmasseur.