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Best Rage album since Soundchaser.

Definitely, but it's still not quite as good. Soundchaser is Rage's masterwork and always will be, IMO.

Really? Well, I do love Soundchaser, granted. Personally, I feel their strongest works are when they ally with the Lingua Mortis... albums like Ghosts or the first half of Speak of the Dead. But that's probably because I'm such a sucker for symphonics...

Strings To a Web is miles ahead of Speak of the Dead and Carved in Stone, though... Empty Hollow makes the album almost by itself for me!

I disagree with this, but....

I agree with this.

I don't mind symphonic stuff in my metal either, but in my Rage? No thank you! But I will admit that I really dig the orchestration on the first part of Empty Hollow.

That's understandable; different stroke for different people.

Personally, I admit I got into metal very late (mid 90s) and it was mostly with gothic-y stuff ala Moonspell (Wolfheart) and Tiamat (Wildhoney!) and also a lot of power metal of that era (like Strato's Visions).. so I guess that's why I'm into different stuff from most metal fans that lived the 80s metal and such. I also grew up in a house of fans of big band and classical symphonies so that explains a lot, too. For example, I don't usually like Helloween (I'm one of the few that can't stand Kiske) and I love the new album with reworked big band versions while most metal fans I know hate it, lol.

I'm honestly very finicky with production so most 80s metal I can't stand because of the production. I know I'm missing out but that's just the way I'm "wired".

Agreed. Love this album, but Soundchaser is a 95+ in my book.

Where the hell can I find this (without illegal downloading)???!

My favorite album so far this year. It's just

All of my walks to work have this blasting

I'm shocked to see how many people here think Soundchaser is the best Rage album. Sure, it's a very good album and their best in recent years, but didn't you guys listen to their back catalogue? Missing Link, Black in Mind, Trapped!, End Of All Days are in a league of their own.

STAW is a very good album. Much better than CIS and STTD, and although I'm not too found on their proggish new direction, there are some kick ass songs here. As for the Empty Hollow suite, am I the only one who thinks it's funny to see how seemingly efortless Rage pulled off a type of song you know Dream Theatre would kill to write?

http://www.theomegaorder.com/s.nl/sc.1/ ... ge+strings

I usually order from four sites. The one I gave previously, does not have shipping and handling as is the quickest. If they say its in, its in.

But at times they get cds later than the other sites I order from or may be more expensive.

So here is another site, which I just found that I go to, which is a lil cheaper for the Rage, even with S/H.

https://www.impulsemusic.com/catalog/de ... p?id=12172

Wow, you sum up my feelings, pretty much. While I prefer the stuff that's a little more symphonic, Black in Mind and Ghosts are my favorites of the band, heh...



That's also very true... I've never been big on DT, honestly... but Empty Hollow seems like it could easily have been from DT or another similar-type band. I don't know.. I'm not sure if it's Smolski or Wagner but Rage do seem to have a knack for writing these types of big suites.

Good CD as usual from Rage.

Thank you

have to say ive been a big rage fan for a few years now, i bought a unity and soundchaser double pack and was hooked. they are one of those bands who i always heard talk about, saw pictures and heard mention of on forums etc. But somehow always avoided listening to them (not on purpose)

Anyhoo, STAW is a GREAT cd, i think it might even pip soundchaser for me, or at least is on level pegging. Its so catchy, yet so raw. And the empty hollow piece is just awesome. Smolski is on top form here, and peavy is peavy, love or hate him. But there are some great melody hooks on display here. And i actually really like the proggy-ness that has crept into their sound on recent CD's.

For me rage's best works are still with their older CD's, but i do think that STAW is a giant leap from craved in stone. carved in stone was just too.... 'safe'

Listening to this for the second time in a year. Solid album, but poor replay value. It's an improvement over the two last albums however. Carved in Stone was a poor album with no replay value. Speak of the Dead was a poor album overall, with a couple of very good tracks (Prelude of Souls and Kill your Gods).

I don't think we'll ever get Soundchaser II or Trapped II, but I'm looking forward to the upcoming album nonetheless.

+1 with the replay value, they are an impressive band their albums of late don't draw me back like the older ones do.