After Messiah and Genesis (which includes several excellent covers from bands like Accept, Iron Maiden, Metallica and Judas Priest), Steel Prophet comes back with their new power metal attack called Book Of The Dead. Messiah has been elected album of the year 2000 by myself and I have to admit I was a bit anxious when I touched the play button ...

Right from the beginning you notice that Messiah was enormous, too big, too good, too perfect. Messiah is simply a monster in terms of quality and there are actually lots of differences compared to this new album. Book Of The Dead is a bit slower, less "German" and Iron Maiden's influences, which was put on hold on Messiah but very present on Dark Hallucination, are back again. This will be my first complain : why have you guys decide to come back to Dark Hallucination?

But let's start from the beginning. When Six Was Nine (first track) follows Messiah's path and trust me this song kills. The tempo is bit slower compared to "Messiah's hits", but here again Rick explodes my ears with his unique voice. This singer is unbelievable. I was already surprised by him on Dark Hallucinations & Messiah, but on this one I am down on my knees. A star is born! Tragic Flaws, second song, is also excellent, but the tempo is even slower. Iron Maiden's fans out there will simply not believe the first three tracks. Escaped, which reminds you very much Maiden's The Trooper, is also excellent. Church Of Mind, with its typical Iced Earth rhythm, is the innovative song here. Phobia, a grinding-thrashy song, is also the second surprise on Book Of The Dead.

Well at the end, I have to admit this one is not Messiah, I have to admit that the sound and the tempo have changed and I have also to admit that after the first play, I could throw away this new record out of the window . However, I have decide to give a chance to this record and after many plays, it opens my eyes and my heart. This Book Of The Dead is absolutely great, absolutely mature, absolutely personal. You gonna tell me it doesn't sound like Messiah (or should I say like Helloween, Gamma Ray or all these German speed metal bands) and you are damned right. But wait a minute guys, this is written Steel Prophet on the cover-art, not Helloween, Gamma Ray or Edguy. Steel Prophet is again leaving many bands far behind with this one, and like Iced Earth took many years before being recognized, this American band will succeed sooner or later because they are a CULT band. Steel Prophet sounds like Steel Prophet, full stop !!! This is the kind of CD that each time you listen you hear something new. Some songs on here I immediately loved and some were not as strong, but after hearing it more, I'm getting into all of it.

Hey, I almost forgot my second complain. This album, like the previous one, "will pass" totally anonymous and this is already getting on my nerves. Please, don't make that happen, because not having Messiah or Book Of The Dead in your metal collection is like not having The Number Of The Beast (Iron Maiden) or Something Wicked This Way Comes (Iced Earth). To make a story short, listen to Book Of The Dead carefully and make your own decisions ... and do not follow what others said !!!