Sinergy - Beware the Heavens

Combine the guitar skills of Jesper Stromblad (In Flames), Alexi Laiho (Children Of Bodom), bassist Sharlee D'Angelo (Mercyful Fate, Arch Enemy), mix well, add a talented drummer in Ronny Milianowicz and the vocals of Metal goddess Kimberly Goss, bake for 34 minutes, and what do you get? The answer: a delicious, exotic, healthy Metal meal.

With a driving bass line, most Sinergy songs have a high-energy rhythm that rarely lets up. Goss's soft vocals seem out of place at first, but then you realize that that's the beauty of it. A unique sound that keeps you guessing... and begging for more.

This is an album that could not have come out of the US in my opinion. At times it sounds like it came from another planet - Saturn perhaps. The mix of 80's Pop Metal, Progressive Power Metal, and Sci-Fi lyrics sung by a female vocalist defies categorization.

Produced by Fredrik Nordstrom, Beware the Heavens gets my vote for best production quality of the year. The sound is very clean, which is necessary because you want to hear all the details these talented musicians have to offer.

This album should enjoy broad-based appeal and don't be surprised to see some copy-cat bands (perhaps the biggest compliment a band can receive) in the near future. Even in this anti-love song age of Metal, Sinergy manages to produce a likable, distinct, and compelling ballad, "Razor Blade Salvation."

A gust of fresh air packaged as a mere CD, this album helps forge the blazing new trails in the Metal genre the past few years. If you're someone who has to categorize a band before giving a stamp of approval, then this album is probably not for you. But if you're ready for something new, don't hesitate to order Sinergy's Beware the Heavens - it comes recommended.