Veteran guitarist Herman Frank first appeared on the German metal scene back in 1982 with Accept, appearing on the albums Restless And Wild and Balls To The Wall before going on to spend a decade with the band Victory and also working as a producer and engineer for bands such as Rose Tattoo, Molly Hatchet and Saxon. Victory reformed a few years back and current vocalist Jiotis Parachidis is featured on Loyal To None which marks Frank's first release as a solo artist. It proves to be well worth the wait as with Loyal To None Frank has served up a solid dose of classy power metal which has its foundations in the 80's but has been given a contemporary makeover.
Unlike a high number of albums by virtuoso guitarists this is more than just a one man effort and Frank has found the perfect collaborator in Parachidis who has a voice that at times is eerily reminiscent of both Ronnie James Dio and David Coverdale in their heyday. The powerhouse rhythm section of drummer Stefan Schwarzmann (Krokus, Helloween, Running Wild) and Peter Pichl (Running Wild) provide a rock solid backbone and Frank serves up a high quota of quality riffs, licks and solos. The ace in the pack is the smouldering blues rock of 'Heal Me' where Parachidis does a stirring job of bringing back the spirit of Whitesnake's 1987; other highlights include the fist pumping fury of 'Hero' and the mid-tempo melody of 'Down To The Valley' but this is a quality album all the way through and doesn't outstay its welcome at a tight 10 songs delivered in under 50 minutes.
An album that is not afraid to hide its influences and one that would be a worthy addition to any classic rock /melodic metal collection.
Track Listing
1. Moon II
2: 7 Stars
3: Father buries son
4: Heal me
5: Hero
6: Kill the King
7: Down to the Valley
8: Bastard Legion
9: Metal Gods
10 Welcome to Hell
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