Galaxy: Same

Review

Even when on the cover it says GALAXY band, I’m sure GALAKTIKA and GALAXY (above on the coverartwortk you can read "Gruppa Galaktika" - this means "Group Galaktika") are the same band by comparing the names and the line-ups (at laast I tried)...anyway, lets talk about this one. To the contrary of the other lp of the band reviewed here, this album is sang in sung in English (just check the titles), and this gave them an extra push to reach bigger audiences, even outside Russia, something which, sadly never happened. What a waste of a great band!!!! Forget GORKY PARK, these guys are better and far more talented. "You Run Around” is a total hit, a commercial Heavy Metal song with the clear influence of the American bands, but actually sounds heavy, really catchy in the chorus and well played.. In fact, there is a classic duel of guitar/keyboards, somehow reminding DEEP PURPLE, or what STRATOVARIUS do these days. Perhaps there Russian guys aren’t virtuosos, but they do the job, and do it well. Next in line is Standing In The Shadow”, that repeats the formula of melodic Metal and strong American style, which got the heavy touch to equilibrate the melodic charge with a touch of power and heaviness…Great cut in fact. The third is Love Me”, but certainly it is not a ballad as the title might suggest. I must say that this enter aggressive and calms down when the vocals start, but this all helps to make a great song, the chorus is again stands out as the memorable moment of the song. Both the guitars and keyboards play their role, taking the whole song to be another hit, as the previous two. With much energy appears the radio-hit I Wanna Make You Satisfied”, totally rock'n roller song that even your girl might like and dance, but still it is heavy, not totally hard rockish, but necessary for a bands which wanted to get to the big places. Sadly the final fade out makes impossible to enjoy the keyboard solo, which in fact was very short... Sweet Rosanna” can be considered a romantic” song compared to the rest, fans of AOR must be satisfied with such a song, which is not bad at all. For the second side, the Heavy metal continues with Julie”, which is a typical Heavy Metal song , a bit more of European tradition, with heavy. It seems that the group now sing in English the whole of the songs, which helped them to make this album a great piece of Melodic Heavy Metal with heavy riffing and the essential and classic guitar/key solos, almost of classical making. Excellent song. I Can’t Wait Anymore” enters with some riffing which reminded me a couple of STRATOVARIOUS song (but GALAXY made the song before), anyway, the song get soft in the middle, but rises towards the end and closes very well. Another typical Americanized song is Superman” . In my opinion, it is the weakest song here, but I must admit that, even when it is under the standard of the whole album, it’s a song that much bands would like to have as a hit. The introduction for Lady Music”, almost reaches ethereal atmospheres, an then turns into a song much more supported on the chorus than the key and guitars as the other songs here.. sometimes the vocalist reminds me the aggressive LED ZEPPELIN moments, but I don’t think it is a rip-off, just it’s a reminding… Closing the album appears the hard rock of We Say Goodbye”, which is not a big surprise actually, but sounds good, eve when the solos are almost unnoticeable. Not the best to finish such a great album ,but nothing is perfect, right?

Tracks
1) You Run Around
2) Standing In The Shadows
3) Love Me
4) I wanna Make You Satisfied
5) Sweet Rosanna

1) Julie
2) I Can't Wait Anymore
3) Superman
4) Lady Music
5) We Say Goodbye