If there is a city in russia where the number of power metal bands constitutes the highest percentage per capita, it's moscow (including the moscow region). SHADOW HOST are veterans -- they began playing power metal back when this style wasn't particularly valued on the moscow metal scene (which has always been known for its capriciousness and adherence to its own trends). The situation there is different now, and power metal leads all the other "metals." SHADOW HOST rank among the top five.
Good recording, arrangements, and so forth. But as for individuality -- as always, it's lacking. Some songs strongly resemble BLIND GUARDIAN, while others are simply "songs" executed in standard power metal fashion. By russian standards -- quite decent; by European standards -- very much average and faceless.
This album features both older songs that appeared on the band's debut cassette release back in 1997 (re-recorded from scratch) and newer material. Fans of melodic power metal will enjoy it; everyone else -- probably not.