It was very hard for me to review objectively this concrete album for 2 reasons. First of all, because is an unbelievable great release to be made by Greeks and 2ndly is made by Greeks. I don't know how many of you know Casus Belli... they were formed back in 1997 and released their first demo in 1998, which achieved some very very good reviews (Greek Metal Hammer gave 9 out of 10 points). I believe this debut full length CD will help them get widely known to the power metal world because has all the backgrounds and foregrounds needed to make it through the recognition trial. If you have any hesitation about this, just keep on reading.

Are you searching for influences?? hmmmm, good question! Let's say Gamma Ray, Helloween, Edguy, Stratovarius, Saxon, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Metal Church. Of course a lot of bands are inluenced by those big names, but I don't know many of them to combine all those influence at once... do you? So, it's quite uncommon, but the result is on their side. They have all the backgrounds and the foregrounds in order to make it through the recognition trials, to get listened to as more as possible different ears, to success in the commercial fight.

Panos Arvanitis (the music composer) proves himself pretty experienced musician, since he knows how to perform in a ideal way for the power metal standards, he knows whem and where to take advantage of the use of each instrument's chords, knows how to keep the good elements from his influences (Yngwie Malmsteen is one of those influences). So, we can listen to really solid rhythm section, great instrument changes in the solos (seems that Arvanitis knows very well the Italian power scene and its preferences) and beneath all we can realise the band does have that sense of melody needed in order to be more friendly to the early fans and the non-power freaks. Best tracks are: "Mirror Out Of Time" (featuring a 'stolen' opening riff performed only twice... maybe Gamma Ray, maybe Edguy... I don't remember. However, the whole song might be the best on the CD with an awesome chorus reminding of Stratovarius, Freedom Call, Heavenly, Gamma Ray, Edguy and so on while all passages and instruments sound blameless), "Casus Belli" (Tierra Santa play the drums this way), "Ghost Of The Winds" (mid-tempo sensational masterpiece), "Bloody Fingers" (accoustically based beautiful one), "Reviving The Dream" (the only ballad), "Iron Bones", "Graves In The Darkness" and the various "Flames In The Sky" with a haunting riff and the smart passages and the nice solos.

Production is heavy and clear while lyrics deal states of mind and every day's reality. The cover art as you can see above is simple yet good and professional. I guess this release must wake some people up from their deep dark sleep, shake the term called Hellenic Scene. If you are surprised from what you are reading don't worry is logical, if you still haven't realised the value of this CD, you better do! Those guys fuckin rule! In high severity they get...