Review by JD on February 28, 2009.

When your are expecting one thing, and get something else... you are either pleased as hell or feel sort of horrified with the crud that has been offered up. I was more than just pleased with what I had been handed, after expecting a hell of a lot... I think I was more than aroused right after the first note!

Swedish band Harmony is a grouping of various styles of metal that combine to make some pretty interesting shit. Mix the virtuosity that is guitar god Yngwie Malmsteen, the amazing lyrics of something like Dream Theatre or Paradise Lost and then add in top notch musicianship and a whole lot of originality... you get Harmony.

I get bored with good ol' Yngwie and his over regurgitation of riffs... but Harmony never does get that way. They just have perfected the fine line between useless shred, real amazing shred and the orgasmic pleasure of great music. Just listen to their song 'Rain'. That single song with it's excellent lyrics yet o-so-amazing style of music proves that both sides of the coin can co-exist.

They have finally shown that shred styled music can have some amazing lyrics. That was my only bad spot with Mr. Yngwie... bad lyrics. Harmony has the best of both worlds, and boosts it up tend fold in the process. Thank god for these shred. masters... they show exactly how it is suppose to be done.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 9
Atmosphere: 8.5
Production: 10
Originality: 8
Overall: 9.5

Rating: 9 out of 10