| Destiny ”Beyond All Sense 2005”
- - - - It opens with “Sacrilege”, thus inverting its location from the original album. A wise choice, since it’s one of the most easily accessible songs on the album. The vocal melodies are slightly different from the original version, well befitting Kristoffer Göbel’s vocal range. A strong and direct heavy metal anthem which was kind of my favorite track on the original and possibly is in the new version as well. Second track is “Kill the Witch” (track 6 on the original album). It’s interesting to note that Destiny have opted to keep the direct approach from the original tracks, instead of adapting them to the more complex attack of their later efforts. In all likelihood a good idea, since this is how the songs were originally concocted. Anyway, Göbels vocals come across brilliantly on this track. The chorus gives him a chance to be at his nastiest and he obviously delights in it. Enter a new and unheard track. The song “Ode To You” was composed around the time of the debut album, but wasn’t recorded. With new lyrics by Göbel lamenting the tragic killing of Damageplan guitarist Dimebag Darrell, it’s a beautiful song with nice guitar overdubs, convincing drumming (drummer Birger Löfman has yet to receive all the critical acclaim he deserves!) and vocal harmonies that are slightly reminiscent of Blue Öyster Cult…somehow… Thanks for finally bringing that song into daylight. “Spellbreaker” was originally the third track, now we find it at number four. It’s a great song that too long has been wanting of really good vocals and a decent production. The new version is miles above the original, although slightly hampered by the dark part of the call-and-response chorus. Could have been a lot more forceful, which would have added greatly to the overall impact of the song. Next, we find “Power by Birth” (track 9 on the original album). I can honestly say that I didn’t really see the full potential of this song in the original version, but here it is just the same. With myself behind the knobs (which would probably have been a pretty bad idea in the full scheme of things) the vocals in the chorus would have been more audible with their killer harmonies. But that’s nitpicking, really. This is a really strong and direct track that I believe will stand out for most audiences. “Rest in Peace”, originally the opener after the intro, is next and is actually better placed here. It never was strong enough for an opener and still isn’t. It’s a good song, but perhaps slightly too simplistic at times. It has certainly earned its place on the album, though, and Göbel sings it with enough conviction to lift it some notches. The only track from the original album to appear under a different name is “Hang Them High”, which now listens to the name “Madame Guillotine”. It’s an in-your-face song with a lot of punch and drive. The almost omnipresent wah-wah guitars are there and Kristoffer Göbel goes high in the vocal register to drive the last few bolts in. This could be a good way to start or end a live show, to really get the attention of the crowd. Strong stuff! The other new track is about Ozzy Osbourne as a reality show star and is called “No Way Out”, and Kristoffer’s vocals really do come across as somewhat “Ozzyesque” to celebrate its theme. A nice touch, but the song is actually one of the weaker tracks off this album. I’m glad we have it back from obscurity, but I can see why it was there in the first place. A little of the same goes for “More Evil Than Evil” (track 8 on the original album). Not the obscurity part – it was on the original album – but the part about not being the strongest track. The lyrics and the chorus have a dated quality and come across as just a little bit silly in some parts. Which is understandable, really, given the age of the material. What’s more remarkable is that this really only goes for one track. That is saying something about where Destiny were headed already on their first album. Every good album needs a strong closer. Destiny have moved longtime live standard “Sirens in the dark” from its old slot at number five and made it into an epic closer lasting for all of seven and a half minute (originally just under five). Which is just the treatment deserved by this impressive song. I’ve heard it performed live by former Destiny vocalist Zenny Gram, but I believe this to be the definitive version. Kristoffer delivers the goods and so does the rest of the band. Whenever the band is compared to Iron Maiden, it’s usually because of this song and that’s not strange at all. But we’re not talking plagiarism here. Call it a hint of an influence if you will. Anyway, Steve Harris would’ve been proud of it and so should Destiny be. I’m guessing we’ll hear this live a few more years…
All in all, I’m really glad that Destiny decided to rerecord this
much-too-less-heard classic. It will give their present audience, and
hopefully a future audience, a chance to hear with their own ears how
strong the song-writing of this band was already in the beginning. And
to hear it without having to suffer the rather poor quality of the original
end product. With the band in their best ever line-up, this certainly
was the right time to do this. “Beyond All Sense 2005” leaves
me begging for more – and I guess I’ll get what I’m begging
for, since I know that a second album with songs from the “Atomic
Winter” and “Nothing Left to Fear” albums is on its way
as well. Will this be a new dawn for a legendary band? One can but hope…
|