Crystal Ball Gazing & Scryeing Course

To state that the mid-2000s were a time of transition for the European power metal scene would be stating the obvious, but it was a particularly turbulent point for one of its most prolific and conservative affiliates Crystal Ball…

After a couple of blatant throwback offerings to the days when heavy metal was joined at the hip with AOR, right down to the campy Sci-Fi oriented album art work that was all the rage circa 1985, former Swiss cover band turned melodic power metal outfit Crystal Ball found themselves in the unique club of Nuclear Blast signed acts…

There is a certain charm to an album like this from a historical standpoint, particularly for anybody who still wanted a more flashy and fun style of metal/rock that cut against the "Alternative" ideal of dumbed down songwriting and morose or mundane lyrics about how much the world sucks, because this is about as clear of a rejection of the decade it was born from that one could find. It embodies the same sort of fantastical escapism that would occupy the early days of lighter, fantasy-oriented bands like Freedom Call and Edguy while also being a bit more retro in character, perhaps most closely dovetailing with the somewhat later reformation and restyled incarnation of Domain…

Aside from a brief intro, Virtual Empire contains twelve fantastic songs that range from the touching ballad (Look In My Eyes) to almost power metal like tunes (Hands of God, Blind Side). Each song is highly melodic and there are no fillers or weak songs on the disc. After only a couple of listens, you can look at the track list for this album and remember the melody for each of the songs…

Crystal Ball wasn't as successful as Equinox, but it was a better album, showcasing Styx's increased skill for crafting simple, catchy pop hooks out of their bombastic sound….