Freedom Call - The M.E.T.A.L. Fest Review

Alive albums are the apex of Metal music. It’s the celebration of the music we love and adore along with the people we truly understand. It’s when the band and the crowd have the so-called cathartic moments when they turn into one. It’s the time when the crowd can yell loud and clear the name of the band they love and the band can be extremely grateful for their people. This Freedom Call’s alive album “The M.E.T.A.L. Fest” is all of this. It’s possible to feel the sparks in the air. It’s possible to feel the band’s emotion towards the public response to their music. It’s an intense moment of the band’s life and career. It’s really hard to put in words what a musician feel while playing to a crowd. Very few things can be compared to this moment. It’s interesting that the album was recorded in a myriad of shows of the band all around this sad and lonely and pethetic little planet meaning that Freedom Call are a beloved band. Yes, one of the traditions of Metal music is that some bands are much better alive than in their records. Early Kiss were this way until their debut alive album simply called “Alive I.” And the rest is history.

The music Freedom Call deliver here has clear influences of the good old Helloween. There’s no shadow of doubt about it. The difference is that the band adds much more melody to it plus some 1980’s keyboards electronic effects as the ones Judas Priest used in the “Turbo” era. All of this gives the band their personality and especial signature. Maybe also their enthusiastic followers. Also, the passionate way the band performs attracts a lot. The eponymous “Freedom Call” tells this tale even better. Also, take a look at “M.E.T.A.L.,” a total celebration to Metal music which, by the way, is the album’s motto. The crowd’s response to vocalist Chris Bay’s commands is really amazing. Well, it’s not a coincidence that the album is called “The M.E.T.A.L. Fest.” On second thought, my guess is that the album isn’t only a Metal music celebration, it’s also a life celebration as “111 – The Number of the Angels” tells my dear child of the night. As I said before, Metal doesn’t have to be all about the negative all the time. As all alive albums, “The M.E.T.A.L. Fest” offers fan 17 tracks, which is a number far from the average. It’s not only the quantity, but also the quality.

For the ones who are meeting the band only now as I am Freedom Call’s history commences in 1998 when Chris Bay and old friend Daniel Zimmermann formed the band during an off-period for the latter’s main band, Gamma Ray. The two had started writing songs together towards the end of 1997. They eventually completed a six-song demo “Freedom Call” with well-known producer Charlie Bauerfeind, who offered the tape to several record companies.

This is the year when Power Metal is proving me wrong all the time. It’s really hard not to headbang to the crowd’s response to the catchy and emotional choruses. It’s really an album that proves Metal music is always better alive. It’s also very hard not to feel the goose bumps when the band performs “Power and Glory.”

This is an album to celebrate whatever my dear child of the night wants to.

Freedom Call “The M.E.T.A.L. Fest” was released on July 14th via Steamhammer / SPV.

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