Album review: FREEDOM CALL – Ages of Light 1998-2013

SPV (Released 29th April)

Melodic rockers Freedom Call celebrate their 15^th anniversary with a decent best of, the first disc containing 18 tracks from across their career, not a bad one here.

While largely considered a power metal band, they are more melodic an and slightly operatic than their contemporaries , the songs often anthemic with big vocal harmonies. Singer / guitarist Chris Bay has been the band’s main stay since 1998 and the set includes We Are One from the band’s 1999 debut, and Freedom Call (Crystal Empire) is one of the most fantastic metal numbers you’ll ever hear.

There’s a live version of Metal Invasion, the bouncy Far Away, the metallic Mr Evil, and the more gothic Tears Of Babylon and Thundergod. And the live Perfect Day really gets your head nodding too.

Riffs and solos aplenty with big anthemic vocals, if you don’t any (or many) Freedom Call albums this is an essential album, and that’s before the second disc. Featuring members past and present, several classic Freedom Call numbers are reworked, in quite different styles, from campfire strumming to ska and reggae. Sounds mad I know but highly enjoyable.

*****

Joe Geesin

A band I discovered thanks to GRTR! and I have seen them live twice to date, both times they were good value live. This two CD set is a best of with a little twist…

First up the 18 songs on disc one represent a good cross section of their music to date. Two are live versions, ‘Metal Invasion’ rocks like a mutha! Their more recent songs definately have the edge and you can’t help but have a big smile on your face as you rock along to ‘Thunder God’, the pop metal ‘Hero On Video’ and ‘Power & Glory’.

Of the band’s more epic and slightly longer songs only ‘Back Into the Land of Light’ is present. Mind you the band manage to cram in all sorts of choirs, epic guitar solos and pounding drums into even their shortest songs.

Main man Chris Bay had a great idea for the second disc and the one of most interest to long standing fans, covering some of the band’s songs in a different musical style and inviting past members to play on these songs.

It is a mixed bag, from the ‘killerbilly’ (although it sounds like Elvis!) version of ‘Rockin’ Radio’ and the ‘power swing’ of ‘Age of the Phoenix’ which work well. Not so great is the reggae version of ‘Mr. Evil’.

If you are new to the band this is a perfect starting point, although make sure you play disc one first as you may wonder what the heck the band were about listening to disc two first. Fans will enjoy the bonus CD I am sure and hopefully a new studio album is on the horizon for later this year.

****1/2

Jason Ritchie

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.

Next session: Sunday 19 January

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 1 December 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 3 December 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 9 December 2024

In this sequence we play ‘The Best of 2024′ GRTR! reviewer selections

Featured Albums w/c 9 December 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2024 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2024 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2024 (Singer Songwriter)