Guitarist Roland Grapow (Masterplan, ex.Helloween), vocalist Urban Breed (ex. Tad Morose, Bloodbound), drummer Thomen Stauch (ex. Blind Guardian, Savage Circus), guitarist Dominik Sebastian (Edenbridge), bass player Mario Lochert (ex. Visions Of Atlantis) and keyboardist Jan Vacik (ex. Dreamscape) have combined in 2014 to form an enticing new melodic power metal band. The name of which is Serious Black, and if you have followed and enjoy the work of Roland Grapow's metal group Masterplan and that of similar quality melodic bands then As Daylight Breaks Serious Black's debut should be on your wish list.
While as to be expected Serious Black have recorded many up-tempo energized power metal numbers they aren't all trailblazers, the ballad "As Daylight Breaks" shows a lighter side of the band. There's nothing radically revolutionary with the songs of Serious Black, As Daylight Breaks stays in familiar territory and is more about delivering the kind of high quality powerful melodic tunes that one would expect of such a seasoned line-up than changing what works. So with their collective firepower as this album was a team effort Serious Black power it up for the prompt melodic metal of "I Seek No Other Life", and Thomen Stauch's potent drumming is put to work. Urban Breed soon also shows what a great choice he was, which will be of no surprise to anyone who has heard his vocals previously. "High And Low" has a strong keyboard component which is always good to hear in such vibrant music just like the soaring guitars.
They may have an unusual band name but there isn't anything strange about Serious Black's songs. Look out for As Daylight Breaks when it's released next month, as Serious Black kick off the new year off with this impressive debut album.
Track Listing
1. I Seek No Other Life
2. High And Low
3. Sealing My Fate
4. Temple of the Sun
5. Akhenaton
6. My Mystic Mind
7. Trail of Murder
8. As Daylight Breaks
9. Setting Fire to the Earth
10. Listen To The Storm
11. Older And Wiser