A few weeks back, we looked at my 1st number one album of 2020 in the form of U.D.O.’s We Are One, and today we’re examining the second no. 1 from that year, and it’s quite a bit different. There’s no politics of the day or social issues, but instead is something much more lighthearted. There’s dragons, science fiction, and all other sorts of imaginative things that make the world far more bearable to go through. It came out very late that year, and it almost didn’t make my list that year if you recall, but I waited to see if it was needed to patch us up, and patched up we were. So, polish your armor, make sure your laser blaster is working, and take a look at my review of Iron Savior’s masterpiece Skycrest. Let’s begin!
Background
Instead of talking about what was going on with the band, I wanted to talk about more of my experience with listening to Iron Savior. It may not be amazing, but I think it bears something on this review.
I first came across Iron Savior sometime in 2019 completely by accident. I forget which album it was (Though I have a suspicion it was The Landing), not to mention I forget which song I first heard (Also having a suspicion, I think it was Heavy Metal Never Dies), but I do remember loving what I heard immediately. Over more time in that year, I listened to more & more of their records, and while some were more flawed than others, it was an entertaining time for me. Cut to 2020, and I kinda fell off the Iron Savior radar to an extent, and it wasn’t until I began hearing the singles for Skycrest that I got back on the radar, & I loved every single one of them. Hence, they were the main reasons I eventually loved this record, and made it one of my number one albums of that plague-ridden year. Ironically, I actually didn’t get a physical copy of it until April of 2021 as a birthday gift from my dearly departed friend Isabelle (Alongside We Are One & my final no. 1 album of 2020 if you can believe it), which further shows just how metal she was.
Basic Description
We needed this.
We Are One was (and is still) a beautiful album, but the social messaging might have been a bit too heavy for some, and by the end of 2020 we were all emotionally drained from all of the isolation & distancing (Not to mention all of the horrendous politics, death, and so much more). Skycrest, on the other hand, was very different. No social issues, no politics, and no seriousness (Despite the badassery). This record is nothing but a fun Power Metal release: full of Fantasy, some sprinkles of Science Fiction, and wrapped in a bow made of sugar & happy things. There is some heartfelt emotion for sure (More on that in a bit), but as you sit down to listen to this, a cozy blanket is wrapped all around you, and the biggest bowl of soul-warming chicken noodle soup is placed right in front of you. Sure, you might be storming a castle or flying a starship like a badass, but you’ll feel warm & safe as you do.
Best Track
Iron Savior has always been good with ballads, and the incredibly heart-breaking Ease Your Pain was the perfect choice to be the best track. The only song that was sung by bassist Jan Eckert (Who’s got a great set of pipes in his own right), it’s all the more tragic when you find out the track was about his battle with COVID, and the incredible pain he was in. By how it sounded in interviews he apparently was going through a lot of physical trouble, and this is reflected in the slow-paced and sorrowful yet somewhat triumphant instrumentation. Jan’s vocals also add to the vibes, as while he’s doing a great job singing, there is a slight roughness to it on account of catching the plague. If you got the European or American edition, it’s the second-to-last track. If you got a certain edition, however.....
Easy Your Pain
Worst Track
You won’t find a single awful song on Skycrest! Not on the European edition, or the American edition. The Japanese edition, however, contains one lone bad track in the form of Wingman. It’s actually not terrible, and not even horrible to be honest. It’s biggest problem is that it’s sandwiched between the emotional colossus of the previously mention tune, and the triumphant concluding song Ode To The Brave. As such, it feels somewhat lacking in energy, and the end result is a song that’s not truly nasty, but doesn’t quite have as much oomph when you compare it to what came before it and after it.
Wingman (Spotify)
Other
If you’re curious about listening to this album, click on the link below:
Skycrest
Overall Impression & Rating
Skycrest was what the doctor ordered by the end of the most diseased year of this decade. Weak bonus track not withstanding, from beginning to end you’re treated to a Power Metal feast that’s just perfect from the first note to the last note. 2020, for as absolutely abysmal as it was, had slivers of good......and this record was one of them. If you didn’t like the social messaging that We Are One had, then the marshmallowy fun of Skycrest is for you.
Skycrest gets a 10 out of 10.
And that was my review for Skycrest. It doesn’t have the social messaging that We Are One did, but it makes up for it with it’s feel-good cheese factor. Given how we were all feeling by the end of 2020, I think anyone who needed an emotional pick-me-up definitely gravitated towards this album. So, I’ve got 1 more number one review in the works, and I’ll see you all in August for that, but before then I’ve got a special list to show off. Be there tomorrow!
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