I had the pleasure of reviewing Alpha Tiger’s third album “iDentity” back at the end of 2014, but I felt sure with a gap this long from such an active, driven band that somehow I must have missed the next release. That lengthy gap was due to the vocalist from “iDentity” upping and leaving just after it was released and the ensuing search for a new singer being meticulous enough to make sure he was the right fit both musically and personally for Alpha Tiger moving forwards. I’m happy to report that new guy Benjamin Baino appears to be the ideal man for the job.
There is clearly thoughts of a new dawn for the remaining band members, hence the eponymous album title, and if that’s the best way for the band as a unit to move forward then that’s great, but it’s worth highlighting that musically there isn’t anything here to upset or distance the fans they have already amassed with their first three releases. All the band-members are working really well together and “Alpha Tiger” is both musically and ironically vocally (though Baino brings his own identity to the party) a good continuation of the Power-infused German Metal style that the band have already rubber-stamped for themselves.
Tracks like ‘Aurora’, and ‘Welcome To Devil’s Town’ still have that appreciative echo of Edguy within their make-up which has been evident previously and with plenty of memorable riffs and vocal hooks the German Metal pedigree is also evident throughout. But Alpha Tiger have always liked to mix it up and include anything that sounds right as long as it sounds like Alpha Tiger. The thrashier edge to ‘To Wear A Crown’ and a general nod towards American Heavy/Power Metal alongside touches of the progressive underline what the band are about. Always keeping the listener guessing – like breaking into a rather fabulous flamenco passage in ‘Welcome To Devil’s Town’ to suit it’s slight spaghetti western theme – and always encompassing so many elements of Metal both past and present.
Alpha Tiger prove that they can kick-on with pure energy on tracks like ‘Comatose’, but they are also happy to show a more sensitive side like ‘My Dear Old Friend’ (with the addition of some well placed, excellent Hammond work in the latter), yet happily never descending into slushy ballad territory. All in all, this album is as varied as it’s predecessor, but in a slightly different way. In the past the band have always sounded like they have a desire to somehow blend a more modern Metal approach with their own brand of Progressive/Power/Heavy Metal, but this time around it feels like the band themselves have recognized what makes Metal great in their homeland and applied their own sound to that rather than striving for something unknown. There is plenty to latch on to within Alpha Tiger’s sound and their variation and willingness to experiment will always help to elevate them from the norm. Hopefully the band can now promote this album the way they wanted to push the last one and they should go from strength to strength.
(7.5/10 Andy Barker)
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