Gamma Ray - Master of Confusion
I’ve never been a huge fan of Gamma Ray, but I’ve always had a lot of respect for Kai Hansen, the founder of the band and ex-Helloween guitarist/vocalist. While I gave up on Helloween after one spin of Pink Bubbles Go Ape, I would still listen to Gamma Ray every now and then when I felt like getting a quick dose of Power Metal amidst the sea of Death and Black Metal that I was listening to. Master of Confusion, the band’s latest release, shows that Kai and Gamma Ray still have the ability to pump out some rocking tunes. For a guy who is past the half-century mark, Kai still has a good voice and he can still shred on the guitar. The problem, though, is that Master of Confusion is fairly predictable. The songs are well played, to be sure, but they’re unadventurous. This is Power Metal by the numbers. Gamma Ray has an impressive back-catalog that spans over twenty years. If they put together a greatest hits album, I doubt that any of the new studio cuts on this EP will even be in contention for a bonus CD full of secondary tracks. The live songs, which comprise the bulk of this release, are where the real meat is located. They show that, in a live environment, Gamma Ray can deliver the goods just as competently - if not more - as in the studio. These guys may have gotten to the point where they’re just releasing new material as an excuse to tour. With two plus decades of recordings to draw from, they have more than enough songs to fill up a full set. If you’re looking for something special or if you’re already a Gamma Ray fan, my guess is that you’re going to be disappointed. The new songs on this EP aren’t especially great. The live cuts are better, but still nothing that absolutely has to be tracked down (unless you’re a super-fan and you have to own everything the band puts out). It’s good Power Metal, but unfortunately it isn’t great Power Metal.
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