There are many different ways to give your opinion on this record … as the age of the listener is an important aspect:

1) You are a young metal-head (born after 1980). Unless you grew up with an older brother who was listening to the heavy-metal stamped 80’s, the production will get quickly on your nerves; the sound of the guitar, the bass and the drums will sound “cheap” and dated. Actually, I could bet a fortune you will stop the listening of Third Wish in the middle of the first song … unless you are a very open mind metal-head or a collector.

2) You are born before 1970 (like me).
You are a mega-fan of the 80’s (like me).
You know who is guitarist David Feinstein … because you know he played with Ronnie James Dio (inside the legendary Elf band in early 70’s).
You admire the NWOBHM (like me).
You adore Manowar, Whitesnake, Saxon & Scorpions (the one of the 70’s and 80’s).
You are a fan of John West (the vocalist … singing also for Royal Hunt, Artension).

You will agree at this stage that whether you are spotted in the first or second group will largely influence the final quote. Being myself “categorized” in the second group, I judge this record with my past, my experience as teenager … because this album waked up very old feelings I though were long dead gone. Feinstein - Third Wish has the power to revive these old images from my memory and loads my heart with very special emotions.

The album starts with Regeneration and this is exactly what does this track: regenerating me. Considering one of my first ever hard-rock album was Scorpions’ live album (Tokyo Tapes … yeah I know, this was a long time ago), the opener track and many songs on this album remind me this fantastic live record. Between NWOBHM, Manowar, Dio (first two albums) and Scorpions discography, Feinstein delivers a very honest album. For example on Masquerade – sixth track – Saxon comes to my mind. And it goes like this on Far Beyond – with its truncated guitar riff from Holy Diver – containing all the essence of the guitar solo/riff from the 80’s. Poison - with its bluesy rhythm - reminds me old Whitesnake as the chorus awakens emotions I can hardly describe with words: there is something mysterious with John West voice’s… there is something magical in this music. No doubts, the songwriter grow up with the same “music-food” I used to listen back when I was 16. I could describe every single track (Third Wish, Rule The World, Live To Ride…), mentioning Scorpions, Saxon, Dio and all the NWOBHM. I will just say you’ve got the message :)

After many many spins, the choice of the production was the right one (Manowar’s Joey DeMaio for Magic Circle Music). I agree it sounds totally dated, old-fashioned, traditional, behind current times, etc, etc, etc, but this was the right choice. This receipt creates the magic (that will also operate on you if you belongs to the second group). Of course, David Feinstein didn’t invented the powder, except his music regenerates my neurons, forces my heart to beat like when I was 16, sends me image from the past … and makes me happy. That’s the word to use here: happy. After all, what else could we actually ask from a record?

Congratulations for this record. Since a week, Third Wish became each morning after the bell … my first wish!!! Two thumbs up for this (nostalgic) surprise.