STARGAZERY – Constellation

It’s now over 40 years since bands like Rainbow were at the top of their game. Sanding the coarse edges from earlier influences, their fusion of Metal and symphonic styles saw big returns even as Punk spat in the face of Rock royalty. While this might seem like a golden age to anyone steeped in Heavy Metal history, there’s plenty of reasons to believe that rocking the classics is alive and well in 2020.

One band defiantly holding the torch aloft is Finnish Melodic Rockers Stargazery. Back with a new album after 5 years, this is the sound of a band in love with their inspirations, but not completely absorbed by them.

Of course it’s deliciously daft. Opener “Sinners in the Shadows” bounces along in pleasing style, it’s raw and raucous riffing supported by synth string textures and a compelling chorus. And when the flanged breakdown heralds the solos, it all feels satisfyingly inevitable.

It’s a reliable rule of thumb that Melodic Metal albums will showcase the mellower side of a band. Mid-tempo almost-ballad “I Found Angels” is a case in point. The dreamy pulse of the verse is ably supported by an Everest of a chorus that sounds like something Heart left on the cutting room floor. For a band of this kind to be able to deliver genuine feeling in the quiet moments shows a grasp of dynamics and control not always evident on other albums.

Elsewhere, title track “Constellation” rips away with staccato drum work and a chant-a-long chorus. Jari Tiura really shows his vocal chops here, reaching extremes of drama rarely found this side of mid-period Iron Maiden.

The whole package is rounded out by two synth driven rockers – “In my Blood” and “Raise the Flag”. The former encourages us to “dream to the dream”, while the latter is a triplet-rhythm call of defiance. Both feature crackling interplay between the guitar and the Derek Sherinian-like synth solos – a feature that’s bound to appeal to the converted as well as the curious.