GUILD OF AGES – Rise [Japanese Edition] (2018)

A cult band since appeared in 1989, GUILD OF AGES made their long awaited comeback three years ago with their first album in nearly twenty years, titled “Rise“. They called it a day in 2002 before being tempted back for the farewell Firefest show in 2014, and conversations started for writing new material.
As requested, here’s the not easy to find Japanese Edition of “Rise”, an album never released digitally, only on physical format.

Starting in the mid-Eighties under the name Caught In The Act aka CITA, due to legal reasons they changed the name to Guild Of Ages. The band’s line-up has remained intact since 1994, namely Anthony ‘Antz’ Trujillo (Guitars, keyboards, vocals), Danny Martinez Jr (Lead Vocals, guitars), James Lostetter (Bass) and Steve Stuntz (Drums, vocals).
After the suitably titled ‘Intro’ instrumental Guild Of Ages show their love of a little prog on ‘Deep In Heaven’, that deftly mixes melodic rock and a few extended musical passages. The song’s intro sweeps in on a glorious mix of keys, strings and guitar.

Their love of damn fine classic hard rock tune comes through on ‘Around The Sun’, which features a monster of a chorus and the band’s trademark harmony vocals. This song along should be enough to entice you into listening further.
The other big hook filled tune is ‘I’ll Keep Burnin’ which rattles along with another memorable chorus and a song that brings its own sunshine.

Of course there is a ballad or two, with ‘Ever Road Leads Me Home’ a song that sweeps the listener along in a sea of musical emotion.
Guild Of Ages never shied away from heavier songs in the past and continue to do so on this album with both ‘Awaken’ and ‘All Fall Down’ tapping into the band’s sharper sound, still highly melodious.

After many years, this is a really fine return by Guild Of Ages and “Rise” is highly recommended to existing fans and anyone who enjoys elaborated melodic hard rock, solid songwriting and modern sound production.
HIGHLY Recommended

 

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KICP～1919

01 – Intro
02 – Deep In Heaven
03 – Around The Sun
04 – Addicted
05 – Every Road Leads Me Home
06 – All Fall Down
07 – Awaken
08 – Love Rules All
09 – I’ll Keep Burnin’
10 – Rise Another Day
11 – Hearts Collide
12 – Outro

Danny Martinez, Jr. – lead vocals, guitars
Anthony ‘Antz’ Trujillo – guitars, keyboards, vocals
James Lostetter – bass
Steve Stuntz – drums, vocals
JC Cernan – additional piano on “All Fall Down”

 

BUY
www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/KICP-1919