SKYLINER - SKYLINER

Not too long ago I was asked if I would be interested in reviewing a demo release by the band Skyliner. I hadn’t heard of them but honestly I was flattered that they would ask me to review their work. Sometimes that can be a quandary, because what if the material is weak and shows no promise? Ah the duel edged sword of reviewing.

Well in this case the three track demo by Florida based Skyliner has nothing to worry about. Strong power metal with progressive and thrash overtones at times. The musicianship is very good and the song writing shows a lot of promise.

Opening with the thundering ‘Symphony in Black,’ Skyliner isn’t fooling around. A fast and pounding composition that would grab any headbanger and throw him for a loop, ‘Symphony…’ will get ‘em up off their feet. The closing song ‘Aria of the Water’ is the slowest song with a lot of moodiness and feel. It’s almost like I can see the mist over the water in some Scottish loch. Atmosphere.

My favorite track however is the second song entitled ‘Vendetta.’ Definitely the most accessible with a fabulous melody and hook, this song is a winner. Skyliner does not lose any of their edge in this song as it plows along. The chorus just grabs hold and digs in deep. Good stuff.

Skyliner is a four piece with Jake Becker (guitars, lead vocals), Ben Brenner (drums), Cody Lewis (keyboards) and Dave Lee Redding (bass). I should point out that Lewis’s keyboards never take over a song but add that atmosphere and accents that improve the songs structure. At one point I wondered if they were influenced by fellow Floridians ‘Apostle’ as the feel is similar, but the musical style is not. They sure are going in the right direction and have the opportunity to distinguish themselves.

The production is clean and evenly mixed. Lyrically they take a very personal and introspective approach; I appreciate this as I think it adds depth to the overall performance. This is a solid piece of Heavy Metal that should get your attention. I found it to be a fine effort and for $8 you can’t go wrong.

7 axes