STARGAZERY – Eye On The Sky

Stargazery is a new Finnish Power/Melodic Metal band formed back in 2005 by guitarist Pete Ahonen. He had one song that did not fit into either of the bands he was in at the time (Burning Point & Ghost Machinery), and that song ended up becoming the track “How Many Miles”, which appears on this debut album entitled Eye On The Sky. Being propelled from that one song, Ahonen was able to put together a very talented band featuring the former charismatic front man from MSG, Jari Tiura.

The sound of Stargazery is very Traditional, Classic, Melodic Metal. There are various elements and styles heard on Eye On The Sky, which are reminiscent of such heavy hitters as Dio, Scorpions, and Europe. Their songs are guitar and keyboard driven, and finished off with the crisp and clean vocals of Tiura. From the sturdy opening track “Dying”, you’ll know the album is going to feature some very powerful vocal melodies as well as many sharp guitar riffs. Another added bonus to this album is the great production quality. The album was recorded extremely clear and precise.

Eye On The Sky features ten very strong tracks. All of them feature the bold vocal leadership of Tiura, however there are some that stand out. The aforementioned “How Many Miles” begins with a Savatage-like piano chord and vocal introduction and then crescendos into a big powerful chorus with confident guitar riffs. “How Many Miles” could have easily been written and recorded 25 years ago by Dio or Yngwie Malmsteen, and is indicative of the style of music heard throughout the entire album. Another great song is the ballad “Everytime I Dream Of You”. This is a true power ballad… very reminiscent of the great ballads from The Scorpions back in the 80s. Tiura even sounds a little but like Klaus Meine as he stretches his high-pitched, agony-filled vocals to the max.

The most notable song on Eye On The Sky is the cover of Black Sabbath’s “Headless Cross”. Ahonen adds slightly more inspiration within his guitar riffs than the gloomy Tony Iommi riffs fond on the original version, however Tiura matches the vocal styles of Tony Martin note for note. It actually works very well for this band to perform a cover song that so greatly exemplifies the genre.

Overall, Stargazery is a refreshing and exciting band for fans of 80’s Hair or Melodic Metal. Although the sound may be a little dated, they actually do a great job recreating the style into something modern, yet classic. They follow a pretty simple formula, and refrain from overdoing anything that would tarnish the medium that they represent. As a result, most people who enjoy this genre should love Stargazery!