Holy Grail - Crisis in Utopia

Prosthetic Records has a reputation for housing bands that play along the lines of metalcore and technical death metal.  So, imagine the surprise when a band that plays traditional heavy metal is on the label.  This is the situation that befalls the California-based group Holy Grail.  Their debut Crisis in Utopia is an album worth listening to, even if the content isn’t entirely original.

Looking at the lineup for Holy Grail, one would notice that ex-members of White Wizzard make up three-fifths of the band, which figures into the sound.  Based on the songs on Crisis in Utopia, fantasy themes rule the day.  Musically, Holy Grail more than holds its own with its guitar work and vocals that aren’t too over the top.   The instrumental “Nocturne in D Minor” is one of the better songs on the album and “My Last Attack and the title track are worth checking out at least once.  The main problem with the album however, is that nothing really stands out.  While the talent and the music is indeed there, nothing on the album is spectacular.  Even after a few listens of Crisis in Utopia, the listener is likely to forget what they just heard, as Holy Grail just doesn’t show the hooks necessary to be able to sustain a run of success.

Holy Grail is clearly a work in progress and it shows on Crisis in Utopia.  They have the basics down for making good music, but for the next album, they should shoot for making more memorable songs, or at least, something to hook the listener in and keep them for a while.  Growth is imperative if Holy Grail intends to at least, match the success of their counterparts in White Wizzard.

Release Date: October 26, 2010
Label: Prosthetic Records

TRACK LISTING

1.  My Last Attack
2.  Fight to Kill
3.  Call of Valhalla
4.  Crisis in Utopia
5.  Immortal Man
6.  Nocturne in D Minor
7.  The Blackest Night
8.  Chase the Wind
9.  Hollow Ground
10.  Requiem
11.  Cherish Disdain

Total playing time:  47:08

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*Comments:

Reviewer: Peter

January 7, 2011