Feature: What FREEDOM CALL mean to me

Joe Geesin recounts an enduring 20 year passion, cultivated after a few drinks and an introduction to the German metallers Freedom Call…

Freedom Call

After a decade of writing features and sleevenotes, (I first starting writing reviews for Record Collector magazine in 1999/2000 – I first crossed paths with GRTR! in 2004 but that’s another story), and Freedom Call are a German metal band I discovered by accident and immediately clicked with them.

Back in August 2000 I first crossed paths with the most top bloke and PR for SPV, Roland Hyams, over a quantity of alcohol while I interviewed Rose Tattoo. This man has a lot to answer for, including Freedom Call.

The following year, he sent me Freedom Call’s second album Crystal Empire, which still gets regular listens to this day. It would be wrong to call them a power metal band, but what I loved instantly was the combination of melody with big vocals. Very big vocals. That album for me was an instant hook and I’ve been a fan of the band ever since.

10 studio albums and 2 live sets, amongst other releases, the band have swayed styles sometimes but the melody and big vocals is a continuing feature.

The band, who have Helloween connections, do verge into power metal on occasion but for me the appeal is that it’s so uplifting. Critics who mention childish metal or sugary are completely missing the point.

It’s fun, yes, how many gigs have you been to where fans wave (plastic) shields, swords and horned helmets in the air? Yes, really.  Twin guitar and frontman Chris Bay (who I have interviewed twice) provides piano too.

And while Crystal Empire is THE go-to album, there’s some seriously good metal on Dimensions (check out ‘Mr Evil’ or the singalong ‘Far-Away’), and Legend Of The Shadow King is a bit more gothic, a little heavier and another regular listen in this household.

Album review (M.E.T.A.L., 2019)


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.

Josh Taerk Sunday Sessions 2024

Latest session: Sunday 25 February
Next session: Sunday 14 April

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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 25 February 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 27 February 2024.

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Power Plays w/c 4 March 2024

COLLATERAL Glass Sky (Big Shot Records)
THE ZUTONS Pauline (ICEPOP)
THE GEORGIA THUNDERBOLTS Rise Above It All (Mascot)
MATT PEARCE & THE MUTINY From Here To The Moon (indie)
THE BLACK VULTURES Never Say (indie)

Featured Albums w/c 4 March 2024

09:00-12:00 LEE AARON Tattoo Me (Metalville)
12:00-13:00 THE END MACHINE The Quantum Phase (Frontiers)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023


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