RED AIM – Niagara

German metal-rockers Red Aim has been releasing records almost annually since 1996 and Niagara, their new effort, should leave the fans (old and new) begging for more in the years to come.

Niagara consists of a material rich on variety, power and great individual performances. Singer Dr Don Rogers shows the vast register of his voice, and convoys a great amount of humor through the lyrics. Humor is also to be found in the arrangement, proving that playing in a metal band doesn’t mean you can’t market fun as one of life’s important components.

Sounding something like a mix between Galactic Cowboys and D.A.D, Red Aim delivers an all-the-way-through sharp, clean and heavy sound filled with cutting guitar riffs. On three of the tracks the “Hagen Children Choir” adds a further dimension to the musical landscape.

It feels good to come along releases as well-produced like this, even though the 15 track long Niagara suffers from a couple of pointless instrumentals and anonymous numbers.

Tracks like the opener “Saputra”, “Almost Night Train”, “Ghost of Beluga”, the title-track “Niagara” and “Hard 16” stands out as excellent numbers, all being characteristic and melodic. ( The latter with a Hammond organ-intro as close to early Deep Purple as one can get. ) Make sure you get to hear them!

Finally I have to raise the question why a well-produced album like this has such a bad cover design. Why?! It is a shame.