Rizon-Masquerade

Kathargo Records

2012


Pure Steel Promotion had Switzerland's Rizon listed as melodic power rock. Given the fact that I had never heard of this group I approached this release with caution. Lately the bulk of promo material I've accessed from Pure Steel has been of the traditional heavy metal variety so I found myself wondering exactly what would be in store for my ears. With two albums already to their name ("Evolution" in 2005 and "Sudden Life" in 2008) this 7 (!) piece band proved that you shouldn't judge a band by their promo description. The band (lead vocals - Matthew Goetz & Seraina Telli, guitars - Christian Goetz & Mark Wietlisbach, bass - Jim Dodd, keyboards- Marco Küderli and drums- Tom Lindegger) are really more like melodic traditional heavy metal than melodic power rock. While there is some lighter rock to be found on album number three this is more like your standard epic European power metal bands of late. Only without the power metal and more of a regular heavy metal approach. The male-female vocals gives the sound a few extra points and the music (full of melody and top-notch playing) is above average in the grand scheme of things. The band has some hooks and even if the guitars are not as loud as I would have liked (and seem to battle it out with synth work) it is still enjoyable if a little draining. With 13 songs to deal with it is a tad long and by the end your checking out. Still in small doses I could see Rizon being a band I could get into. Epic fans might want to seek this one out while the rest of us who can take or leave keyboard driven melodic metal would do will to let this one in a little at a time if at all.