GODIVA

How I hate reviewing discs like this! And the issue here is not the style, as you might have thought, but the complete inadequacy of this release from a general musical standpoint. The Swiss band GODIVA play 100% formulaic heavy-power metal, without even a hint of an original idea. Furthermore, the musicians' skill level frankly leaves much to be desired, and the falsetto singer — already customary for bands of this tier — does not even try to enrich his singing with any interesting harmonies. The lyrics are dragon-and-magic fare with all the usual trappings. The music video for "When Lightning Strikes," included on the disc as a bonus, presents the band in a downright embarrassing light: the lead guitarist flaunts a piercingly crimson Stratocaster, new vocalist Fernando Garcia jerks around, wiggling his backside — laughable, to say the least. Among the merits one can cite, perhaps, only the decent sound. Then again, poorly recorded albums just don't get released these days...