BLACK EYE – Black Eye

Featuring the great David Readman from Pink Cream 69 on vocals, Black Eye is a brand-new heavy metal outfit that not only shows talent and promise but also an impressive knack for crafting energetic, hook-laden tunes that will kick your ass six ways to Sunday. I used the term heavy metal before but the truth is that it is more akin to power metal thanks to its huge and majestic atmosphere, its tasteful use of keyboards, the abundance of galloping riffs present on the disc, and those awe-inspiring vocals that add color and nuance to everything. The vocal melodies may be the immediate draw and the first thing that one latches onto but the musicianship is solid all around, the production is pretty damn powerful and packs serious punch, and the quality of the songwriting is admirable. It may not set the metal underground on fire, but it is a well-written album and most definitely worth a listen. Good stuff.