Crescent Shield - The Stars of Never Seen (Cruz Del Sur Music, 2009)

Genre: Heavy/Power Metal
Year: 2009
Country: USA
Tracklist:

1.	Under Cover of Shadows	06:54
2.	The Grand Horizon	04:33
3.	Tides of Fire	04:19
4.	10,000 Midnights Ago	04:22
5.	Temple of the Empty	06:09
6.	My Anger	03:24
7.	The Bellman	03:23
8.	The Endurance	09:16
9.	Lifespan	06:34
		48:54

Review:
After the release of The Last of My Kind in 2006 Crescent Shield brings out a second album two years later entitled The Stars of never seen, today it’s that second album that I will be reviewing. The band has been founded by members of Onward and Destiny’s End, in short artists who have already made their marks elsewhere. If you know anything about the previous groups it should come as no surprise that we are essentially getting a serving of U.S. Power Metal. The singer is Michael Grant who, while opinions about his qualities are divided, is in my eyes one of the most underrated singers in today’s metal scene. For many his unique vocal timbre will be a difficult adjustment, but whether it’s a fast song or a melodic sounding one Grant will provide everything with beautiful vocals, even the high notes he reaches with ease. Of course comparisons can be made with the greats in the genre like Omen, Jag Panzer and the longer, more progressive sounding songs also with the old Fates Warning. The song “The Endurance is worth a special mention, although this is the longest song that Crescend Shield has written so far, it never threatens to get boring, more so this epic song is slowly building up to a crescendo in about the middle of the song after witch it remains compelling to the last note. For people less into the progressive genre it also contains more straightforward upbeat tempo songs such as “My Anger”. There has clearly been though about the structure of the songs on this record, the production has had an audible improvement over the debut and the artist show that they know how to handle their instruments. In short, U.S. Power metal at its best, why haven’t you bought this yet?

Rating:

Where to buy?:
http://www.cruzdelsurmusic.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&path=35&product_id=60

Note: Michael Grant passed away not long ago this year, I would like to take this moment to offer my sincere condolences to everyone who knew Michael Grant, truly a singer who had so much more to offer was taken from us.