GATES OF ISHTAR - The Dawn Of Flames LP (Orange Crush/Black Marble Vinyl)

Limited to 300 copies. Gatefold jacket, includes printed inner sleeve.

Gates of Ishtar is a band I am quite familiar with. They have a certain infectious quality about them that keeps drawing me back. They certainly sound like they are paying a lot of homage to NWOBHM, more so than most melodeath bands. This is some incredibly well done songwriting. Some of the guitar melodies are downright infectious, and will have people like me who love NWOBHM riffage getting all giddy. Songs are fast, and the production is cold and solid. The overall sound of the album is very unique and accomplishes something of a threesome between black/melodic/heavy metal.

Everything here sounds top notch. You will be headbanging and taken away on a blissful melodic guitar journey at every step of this wonderful album. So many songs stand out from this album that it is hard to pick apart every one of them. Each song sounds totally unique, nothing feels boring and every song is a new experience. The band almost has a power metal like vibe, except replacing those "happy" guitar sounds with solemn and mellow downtuned melody. It all fits together incredibly well. The dual guitar melodies are downright blissful and catchy enough to keep you coming back for more.