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Various Artists - Metal Dreams Volume 3
Various Artists - Metal Dreams Volume 3
Nuclear Blast - 2001
By Rodrigo
[IMG]/images/covers/MetalDreams.jpg[/IMG]
To me, compilation albums are good to get yourself acquainted with bands that you have been hesitant in knowing. They are also a quick way to have songs from your favorite artists in one album. However, there is a problem with these facts and that is: the internet. Let’s face it, in this day it is extremely simple to download songs from a band that you want to get to know. Not only can you find songs in places like Napster (R.I.P) but many official band and record label websites have plenty of songs for you to download. Also, it is not very hard to make your own compilation in the comfort of your own home. Yet despite these truths, record labels continue to release these albums and the latest to come out is the third volume in the Metal Dreams series.
The series distinguishes itself than other compilations because it mainly focuses on band’s ballads. Some of the best songs by many artists are the ballads and in this album we are presented with some very good ones. The two best songs come from two of the best bands out there right now, Nevermore and Opeth. Nevermore is represented with the outstanding "The Heart Collector" and Opeth by "Harvest". Both songs come from their latest album and while not necessarily the best songs from their respective album they are perfect for this album and stand out from the rest of the group. Other excellent songs are the emotional "Melancholy" by Iced Earth, the piano driven "If I Could Fly" by Helloween and the dark toned "Pitiless" from Anathema. A couple more great songs are the criminally too short "Celestial Dream" from Stratovarius and the surprisingly catchy "Veil of Sin" from Amorphis. Tuonela was an album that disappointed me a lot but this song by Amorphis has definitely made me interested in their latest effort Am Universum.
As one might expect, female fronted groups also are in full force in this album. Nightwish with the excellent and dynamic "Come Over Me", Lacuna Coil with the dreamy "Stars" and The Gathering with the mid-tempo pop styled "Rollercoaster". The rest of the other songs of the album are kind of bland and boring. Narnia Primal Fearand HammerFall sound too cliched in their songs, "Revolution of Mother Earth", "Bleed For Me" and "Always Will Be", and Crematory, Orphanage, and Orphaned Land do not do much to distinguish themselves from each other. Finally, I have always heard a lot about Paradise Lost but this is the first time I actually listened to one of their songs and "One Second" sounds too much like Depeche Mode and frankly the latter band have much better songs.
This is the sort of album that I will let you decide whether it is worth it or not to be bought. There are some great songs but I am sure many fans own most if not all the albums represented here. I do admit that Metal Dreams Volume 3 is the perfect album to relax with and chill out to. Sometimes there is nothing better than listening to these types of songs. I guess that is a good reason to own this album. The other one would be for the new fan to get to know the softer side of heavy metal bands.
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