Heathen Machine {2003}
“Finally the long awaited follow up to the excellent Perfect Balance and the bands first to feature new singer John K. (Biochemical) who is amazing and is a dead ringer for Queensryche's Geoff Tate.”
“ The Rising starts the album with s spooky atmospheric vocal intro and right away proves that John is like Geoff Tate, this lasts for just over one minute and then launches right into the excellent Heathen Machine, this track features some pretty spectacular axe work and is very infectious head banging power metal. I Wish You Were Here enforces memorable melodies of classy power metal and builds into a great wall of powerful melodic rock. John really sounds amazing and hits some really high notes. ”
“ Chemical Imbalance is next and is drenched in keyboards, this is a very fast moving symphonic metal song with complex neo-classical guitar shredding. No Place Like Home starts off like a gorgeous piano ballad sung with pure emotion from John, this is a very haunting song that takes off into a fully blown infectious rocker layered in keyboards and is one of the most captivating songs on the album. ”
“ The Eyes Of The World is a vicious attack of neo-classical shredding filled with powerhouse Dream Theater like drumming, and then sit back and relax and let John's vocal take you to another world with the rather beautiful and dramatic Just Before You Leave, a gorgeous neo-classical piece with huge melodies. Wake Up Call is glorious infectious power metal and last song Necessary Evil is my favourite song on the whole album because it is just mega catchy power metal all the way filled with tons of melodies, guitars the lots, a totally furious climax, what more could you ask for? ”
“ I've said it before and I will say it again, the results as always are a fascinating crystallization of epic power metal that offers a vast array of musical variety, and even more can be achieved with the bands new singer. Without a doubt Balance Of Power are still one of the best British bands around and Heathen Machine is a fantastic album. ”
85/100 www.aordreamzones.com, Nicky Baldrian
“This is the most powerful, progressive and dramatic metal album that Balance Of Power has made to date.
BOP's new vocalist is excellent! Very impressive!”
84/100Tak Maeda - Burrn! Magazine, Japan.
“UK's Balance of Power return with a superb new album. Heathen Machine is one of the band's strongest and heaviest releases yet, packed full of kick-arse songs and totally
buzzing with energy. It's great to hear British heavy metal executed so well! Fantastic stuff!
”
Zed, Total Rock Radio
“Heathen Machine - some would say is the post-Empire album that Queensryche never recorded. The album has soaring vocals and huge melodies that have always marked Balance
Of Power's best work. BOP now hold plenty of power!”
9/10Michael Popke, Powerplay Magazine
“ They did it again! Yes, BALANCE OF POWER returns and releases another masterpiece in the Progressive Metal style. A lot of things happened within the band, and their new CD was delayed a few times, but a few weeks ago finally the 5th CD of the UK Melodic Progressive Metal band was released through Heathen Machine. ”
“ The most notable change comes in the vocal department, because lead singer LANCE KING left the band and was replaced by new singer John K. who in fact lives in the same street as the other members of Balance of Power, so it is very weird that the band just recently discovered him after so many years. Anyway, it's incredible that he was only discovered recently, as this guy is able to sing as good as Lance King or even Geoff Tate! Without a doubt, this hasn't affected the band's sound and happily also nothing musically has changed, so again we can hear high quality Progressive Metal. ”
“ Of course I need to add that their previous album Perfect balance was indeed the perfect Balance of Power album which will never be beaten, but Heathen Machine comes quite close in reaching the same high level of Perfect Balance. The new album is again a masterpiece filled with big sounding Progressive Metal a la Queensryche's Empire. Eight long songs and an intro are included, and from start to finish you will not find anything weak, so this album is a lovely Progressive Metal classic. ”
“ Highlights I need to mention are I Wish You Were Here, No Place Like Home, >The Eyes of all the World and Just Before You Leave, but actually the whole CD is a highlight, so all Progressive Metal fans need to buy this new Balance of Power CD as soon as possible! ”
95/100Gabor, Strutter Magazine
Find out more about this album in the discography >>
Only we at balance of power could bring you a winter special on tee-shirts! Anyway, now you can get one for only £8.99!
A darker peice of work; plenty of bite, deeper perspectives, lots of passion, all layered with rich, hooky melodies.