REVIEWS

Nikam Music

You may remember how sad it was when Fair Warning decided to call it a day, and ever since it has felt like something special has been missing from rock music. But don't mourn the loss of Fair Warning forever folks as Dreamtide is a new band featuring Fair Warning guitarist Helge Enegelke and their ambitious debut album "Here Comes The Flood" is a refreshing mixture of musical rock styles that is sure to gain the band alot of respect and also widen Enegelke's fans base., This album reminds of the first time I heard the debut Fair Warning, I did step back in complete awe of Enegelke's guitar work throughout Dreamtide which reminds me of a mix of John Norum and Uli Jon Roth.

Check out 'Ten Years Blind' which is a very catchy powerful song reminding me of Europe, gloriously melodic rock full of great lyrics, ripping guitars and sing along chorus lines. Also in the Europe vein and possessing plenty of melody is the stunning 'Cross The Line', a joyous memorable piece of class. New singer Olaf Senkbeil you may recall added some background vocals to some of Blind Guardian's material, thus he adds in symphonic flavours but more in the vein of Symphony X rather than Blind Guardian.

'Come With Me' rises up next, with some tasty harmonic vocal lines and lots of keys. The song has a great groove and here Senkbeil's voice sounds very symphonic and classical and at times beats the shit out of Tommy Heart because Senkbeil has a better range and sounds as if the songs are what he wants to sing, thus the songs sound from the heart.

When I first heard the haunting 'Dreamers' I honestly thought what a powerful song and what a voice, this is a superb killer ballad which wouldn't have sounded out of place on an Uli Jon Roth or Nikolo Kotzev album, very elegant and passionate lyrically and musically Senkbeil is going to be a BIG BIG star, his voice is so huge and powerful that he easily steal the crown from Tommy Heart's head. The other ballad 'Heaven Knows' is equally powerful and beautiful.

'Crashed' is next in, this again is another piece of sophisticated keyboard drenched music, Senkbeil's voice once again is very good here and he carries the song with his great set of lungs.This song is quite commercial, almost AOR orientated, but it works and is a catchy number as is the golden 'I Take The Weight Off Your Shoulders' which is one of the most commercial tracks on the album in the vein of Fair Warning and Terra Nova.

What I really admire about this record is the way that the songs and the music have been carefully thought out, each song speaks for itself. I get the feeling that Helge is a bit of a perfectionists, check out the completely awesome 'Promised Land' and 'Your Life' which is a symphonic piece that features some cool hooks and suprisingly catchy vocals and 'Moment Of Truth' is next and sounds as if Helge has been listening to some Marty Friedman albums as there are some lovely mystical passages flowing out of the piece which is a lovely spiritual song which builds and builds into a stunning song.

Then we have one of the big, big, big songs of the album, namely the excellent 'Sundance'. This is a wonderful song in the vein of John Norum etc, everything works perfectly, it's a powerful almost progressive piece that would make Dream Theater very proud indeed, this is the bands masterstroke the song is lush and grandiose and has everything a lover of music with melody wants, so sit back, crack open a can and enjoy the soothing,yet towering blissful textures of this stunning piece of musical class.

The last track on "Here Comes The Flood" is the totally awesome 'Phoenix Tears', once again Dreamtide, come across in waves of Uli Jon Roth inspired melodies, this is actually a glorious instrumental played with tremendous feeling from Helge ends the album on a magical note leaving the listener wanting more. Overall a most amazing journey of musical genius that should set Dreamtide up as Germany's most treasured band in years. Essential.

Nicholas Baldrian