Beyond Fear
Beyond Fear
Review by Mike Korn
Nobody should doubt the heavy metal credentials of Tim "Ripper" Owens after hearing this recording. It's unlikely that 2006 will produce many records that are more pure metal than the debut of Owens' new band. This is trendless, dynamic metal with a modern edge that still shows its debt to the classics. Owens, of course, was the star of the most celebrated "cinderella story" in the history of metal when he was plucked from the obscurity of Ohio band Winters Bane to become the lead singer of Judas Priest when Rob Halford took his leave after the Painkiller album. Ripper was put in the unenviable position of stepping into the shoes of arguably the greatest metal vocalist of all time. He acquitted himself well, but basically his tenure was a placeholder until Priest and Halford could iron out their differences. After leaving Judas Priest, Tim hooked up with Iced Earth and he again demonstrated his piercing, powerful vocals on their album The Glorious Burden. Yet even with Iced Earth, he seemed to have a reputation of being Jon Schaffer's hired hand.
With Beyond Fear, Owens takes control and delivers a searing indictment of those who doubted his metal heart. This is a solid traditional metal album that has definite reminders of his Priest and Iced Earth days but which also incorporates some more modern influences from the likes of Fear Factory and Godsmack. It's a great start to what I hope will be a very productive career!
This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2006 Volume 3 at lulu.com/strangesound.
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