Stargazer is full-length #5 from Australia’s Black Majesty. Anyone who has heard the band’s previous albums knows the boys from Down Under have got this Power Metal thing nailed. Big riffs, big drums, big solos and big choruses are all wrapped up in a slick, shiny production that enhances every nuance. Stargazer shows off the band’s talents with speedy, double-kick rockers ("Falling," "Voice of Change"), mid-tempo anthems ("Lost Horizon," "Holy Killers") and a first-rate ballad ("Shine.") There’s only one damning thing I can say about Stargazer, but it is a big one. If you’ve heard Black Majesty’s prior works, you’ve already heard everything Stargazer has to offer. There’s no innovation and the songwriting is perhaps a notch below Silent Company or In Your Honour. That said, Stargazer is still a fantastic Power Metal album and I’m never going to shut it off when it comes up on the iPod because, as I’ve said, Black Majesty do the style right. I would like to hear the band push the envelope a little next time but, until then, I’m going to sit back and enjoy Stargazer.
