[Eternal Betrayer] Wednesday, June 25, 2008 11:39:56 AM
THE ANSWER - for all those still scratching their heads over the latest offering from JP is, I think, perhaps one caused by the pacing on the album.
It is, after all, very very long, with some considerable mid-paced / ballad-y numbers. My advice is to edit it down to a slimmer, meaner & faster 80mins (single disc) version.
Select the following running order on to a CDR, or ipod playlist etc, and hear a much more familiar, agressive & traditional metal-esq sounding release.
1. Dawn of creation
2. Prophecy
3. Awakening
4. Revelations
5. Sands of Time
6. Pestilence & plague
7. Death
8. Peace
9. Conquest
10. Persecution
11. Alone
12. Shadows in the flame
13. Visions
14. Calm before the storm
15. Nostradamus
16. Future of mankind
Now, I know there will be many out there screaming (for vengeance) that this is sacriledge & not how the album is intended to be listened to, but, then they are already the converted, and what we are trying to do here is get as many people on board as possible. I myself, do find the whole double disc a rather flabby affair, I'm sorry to say, and do actually prefer the above edited version which I find is a far pacier & exciting listen - much more what I was hoping for.
I see it as something similar to the cinema release versions of the Lord Of The Rings films, as opposed to their much weightier Director's cut DVDs.
As for the missing tracks, well once you've grown to love the above you can re-incert them later, or visit them individually & see how they shape up having acclimatized yourself to this new world of the metal gods.
