Heed - The Call
AOR Heaven
Heavy / Power Metal
12 songs (49.26)
Release year: 2006
Heed, AOR Heaven
Reviewed by Chris
Surprise of the month

I've been meaning to review this album in quite a while now. Its been out in japan in 2005, and was released in Europe sometime in 2006 (June I think). This Swedish band features Daniel Heiman (ex-Lost Horizon vocalist), and anything Daniel does is usually drawing my attention, at the exception to Crystal Eyes, a band I simply can't get into no matter what.

Heed is the first band since Lost Horizon with Daniel that I find worthy of his incredible vocal talent (one I believe would fit in the new Avantasia project like a glove, let's hope Toby thinks so too). It is no Lost Horizon but it doesn't try to be. Instead the band is going more into a standard heavy power metal style, songwriting wise. For all the fans of Daniel's vocal chords, I can already tell you that you'll like what this album has to offer, you'll even hear Daniel growl, something new :), but it is done with brio and proves that this singer has an incredible talent and can sing in so many different ways.

Now up onto the music. Heed did not re-invent the wheel, but they play a very good mid-tempo power metal, guitar & vocals driven songs, with good guitar riffs, strong rhythms and enjoyable solos. You'll find many (mainly) mid-tempo songs, as Heed knows how to deliver those perfectly. If you're looking for fast action songs that go at 200mph all the time, then Heed is not for you. But if you like good songs with very enjoyable and melodic vocal melodies and stron choruses that stay in your mind, then you might fancy Heed as I do. Not all songs are killer but none are really filler either and I do not feel the need to skip tracks when I'm listening to this album. Yet some songs really stand out as killer sones, like Ashes or Enemy (incredible song !). The vocal melody of Ashes will make you want to shake and dance (I know dance on metal ???). I really like the way the vocal melody of this song transports you all the way, it is rare for me to prefer the verse part (as I'm a chorus kinda guy) as much as I do on this song, but fear not the chorus is also a good one, somewhat comtempt compared to verse, but still a good chorus. For people missing Daniel's high pitch screams that seems to reach the sky, he delivers one hell of a good one after the simple yet enjoyable solo in Ashes. Enemy is the song that deserves a category of its own, and one that actually rises to the level of Lost Horizon, maybe not on the song-writing style, but on the sheer power and absolute melody behind its incredible chorus. Probably one of my favorite song for 2006, it has everything, strong verse, powerful riffs, amazing vocals and a killer of killer choruses ! "If you're my enemy, I'll set your destiny, repent your lies to me now, in fierce I rip your soul !" Hell yeah ! Its the kind of chorus you'll surprise yourself singing under the shower. One that stays carved in your memeory forever. The album also features a great balad called Nothing, very emotional song. Hypnosis is the one song that tries to go faster than the others, and it does a very good job at it, I really hope Heed will write more songs like this one (and some even faster ones) in their future albums ! In my opinion this song should have been the first track (after the intro that is), as its powerful and full of energy, but instead its the ninth track. It boasts an incredibe fast, long and technical solo as well.

The Japanese version (released by Avalon) has a bonus track called The Flight, a song that is also a little faster than most songs on the album, too bad its only a bonus track for Japan :). Even the vocal melodies are faster. A great song that deserved is place in the main line-up of the album imho. Very nice artwork cover by Mattias Noren (dude do you rest from time to time :) ?)

As stated before the album is mildly paced, and that would be an area I would love to see Heed evolve in the future, to be able to not deliver some fast paced songs as well as mid-tempos. They prove that they can write awesome mid-tempos song, but it can feel at times that some speed could spice up things a little. If you like mid-tempos and don't mind the lack of speed in power metal bands, then you might just fall in love with Heed strong melodies and amazing vocals and moody songs. If you're a speed demon, then you'll probably won't like Heed. A very promising debut and I'm already looking forward to see what Heed has in store for us in the future.

Killing Songs :
Ashes, Tears of Prodigy, Nothing, Hypnosis, The Flight (japan bonus track only) and the incredible Enemy
Chris quoted 80 / 100
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