Album review: SERIOUS BLACK – Mirrorworld
Share the post "Album review: SERIOUS BLACK – Mirrorworld"
AFM Records [Release date 09.09.16]
European supergroup Serious Black return with their sophomore release “Mirrorworld” less than 2 years after debut “As Daylight Breaks” hit the racks.
The backbone of vocalist Urban breed, Dominik Sebastian (guitars), bassist Mario Lochert and keyboardist Jan Vacik remains intact but some tweaking has occurred with Roland Grapow and Thomen Stauch being replaced by Firewind guitarist Bob Katsionis and long-time Rhapsody of Fire drummer Alex Holzwarth respectively…and these changes seem to have worked wonders.
The short atmospheric instrumental Breaking The Surface opens proceedings and leads into the catchy As Long As I’m Alive which comes over as a cross between Helloween/Gamma Ray and classic period Dio. Castor Skies, presumably about the star and not the sugar, has a distinctive Kamelot/Stratovarius feel with a good use of keyboards and again a memorable melody.
Ballad Heartbroken Soul offers a change of pace before the metal of You’re Not Alone which somehow brings Uriah Heep to mind thanks to the Hammond organ. The title track is classy melodic hard rock and State Of My Despair brings the keyboards to the fore. Closer The Unborn Never Die is another faultless number featuring an effective quiet interlude.
The standard release of “Mirrorworld” is however a short album consisting of the intro piece and 8 tracks all clocking in at 5 minutes or less…but the limited edition adds a whopping 5 extra tracks plus 2 acoustic re-workings…no choice really! Unfortunately the review copy is only the standard version so I’m hoping that the high standard has been maintained…
“Mirrorworld” is such a massive improvement over “As Daylight Breaks” and is just what I hoped the band would release in the future when reviewing the debut. Nice! ****½
Review by Phil Berisford
Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK
Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.
In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.
Latest session: Sunday 14 April
Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio
David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 7 April 2024.
UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 2 April 2024.
How to Listen Live?
Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)
Listen via Windows Media Player. Click or tap here and “open file”
Listen via other media player (eg. VLC) Click or tap here and “open file”
Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.
More information and links at our radio website where you can listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com
Power Plays w/c 15 April 2024
ENMY The Ledge (FiXT)
KAROBELA Get Hard (indie)
KATH & THE KICKS Neptune (indie)
THE BEE TELLERS River Poem (Black Sand Records)
LAUREN FREEBIRD Like A Bomb (indie)
Featured Albums w/c 15 April 2024
09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023
14:00-16:00 KATARINA PEJAK – Pearls On A String (Ruf Records)
To see our Tweets you need to be logged in to a Twitter account
Popular (last 10 days)
Share the post "Album review: SERIOUS BLACK – Mirrorworld"
PDF - you can delete unwanted sections