Band:	Axenstar
Album:	Far From Heaven
Style:	Power metal
Release date:	2003

01. The Descending (Intro)
02. Infernal Angel
03. Blind Leading The Blind
04. Don't Hide Your Eyes
05. Far From Heaven
06. Abandoned
07. Children Forlorn
08. Death Denied
09. Blackout
10. Northern Sky
11. Thrills In The Night [Kiss cover] [Japanese bonus]

WOW, that was my first reaction after the first spin of "Axenstar's" new album.
But already a minute into the first song I was stunned, and I was sure that this album is going to be on my list over the best releases in 2003, if not the best one.
Forget all about "Helloween's" bad "Rabbits" album, and "Masterplan's" masterful debut, this (together with "Sonata's" last) is the best Power/Speed release this year, no doubt.
It's hard to understand that this is only "Axenstar's" second album, sometimes it seems like they have at least 10 albums in their discography.

"Axenstar" have developed to a really good band now; even if the debut was good this is better, much better. Magnus Winterwild (the singer and keyboard player) has a voice so powerful and wonderful it's almost too good some times.
The music is a more keyboard driven on this one too, than the debut, but it's still not that much so you get tired of it. But the "Sonata Arctica" influence is there and even some "Nightwish" driven keyboard are used, like the intro (and some here and there in the song) to the song "Abandoned".

But it's still the second song on the album, "Blind Leading the Blind" that is the best one, damn, this is a lot better than "Helloween" done in years and years, and I'm not sure if "Sonata" have done a better song, maybe "Gravenimage", but it's so fuckin' great.
And the following song, "Don't Hide Your Eyes" is a damn good song, when it starts it sounds like the album's ballad, but it's not. After the first lines in a slow way the rest of the song are a fast one, and a good one. It shows the emotional side of Winterwild, a side that he can handle very well.
And the rest of the album is great, but no other song can come up to the same level as the first one, or the title track, "Far From Heaven" is a unshaped jewel that easily could be the best track if they worked a bit more on it, it's just something that's missing, and it's not Winterwild, he is brilliant, as usual.
The ballad is saved to last, "Northern Sky" is a nice ballad, written by Mr. Winterwild himself, (the guitar players, Eriksson & Johansson writes all the material, except this one and the intro), and it's a really nice end of the album, and I'm longing for more.

But what have happen since last years debut album?
Well, they vocal sound is now higher than before, and that's a very good thing, 'cause Winterwild's voice is something you want to hear.
And it seems like the band in general have grown together even more that before, it's sounds very compact and it's very well played.
And as I said, the keyboards have got a bigger part now, but that's not a bad thing, 'cause it's not just keyboards, "Axenstar" still got two guitar players.

And the artwork, Oh My God, it must be the mote beautiful artwork in many years, it's perfect, so perfect.

I really want to tip all you Melodic Speed Metal fans out there, do you like "Sonata Arctica" you will surely like "Axenstar", I know that. So check them up, even if you are a Power Metal geek, this is the best Power release of this year, for sure.


Killing Songs: All, this is a "Buy-or-Die" album. But my special tracks is, "infernal Angel", Blind Leading the Blind", "Don't Hide Your Eyes" & "Abandoned".