Second studio album for this promising band. For me the best way to describe Freedom Call is a merging of Gamma Ray and Angra, with a lot of choirs and epic choruses, making almost all their songs metal hymns.

The album start very well with a song bearing the name of the band : Freedom Call ! And it certainly catches the listener's attention. No doubts there. Crystal Empire is the logical continuation of Stairway To Fairyland, with the same kind of sound, same atmosphere and even melodies. Although I think this is a great album, I fear that it gets boring in time... maybe not on that album, cause the album is very epic and this is only their second album after all, but let's face it, even though some details may have been improved then and there this is almost the same album with just very little difference, but I can't find anything really original compared to their first piece. Unfortunately the recipe is the same. Of course it's a good recipe so why change it one might say ? I dunno, I just know that I once I loved Axel Rudi Pell but lately I got bored because it's always the same music. I hope it won't be the case with Freedom Call and their epic songs.

As for the sound itself, nothing to say, it sounds epic, powerful and metal. The vocal parts are very good, always reminding me of Andre Matos on more occasion than once. The guitars also deserve some compliments here, very warm and powerfull in the same time. Unlike some other bands, when listening to Freedom Call, your attention is not caught by riffs, but by the overall melodies of the songs. The drums are of course impressive, thanks to Dan Zimmerman (Gamma Ray's drummer). The main improvement for me would be the choirs : more epic, more "divine" (or holy if you will) than ever. The production is Crystal clear (who said Charlie Bauerfeind at Hansen Studios ?). As for the artcover, nothing else to say that : simply wonderfull !

Freedom Call strongpoint is to my opinion the possessiveness of their songs, you never feel attacked by their music, but more flying or floating in it.

In the end if you liked the first album, you're gonna love this one too. My only fear now is to see how they're gonna make the third album, and I hope they won't turn into a new Axel Rudi Pell. If you don't know Freedom Call yet and you're into GammaRay, Angra or simply True Metal, then don't wait no more, go get it, five bucks in my pocket says that you won't be disappointed. And if you like metal hymns, then you might even find yourself worshiping Freedom Call !