By Pete Wadeson

Hugely-successful in certain territories, German rockers Heavens Gate are a damn fine clever bunch. Originating as traditional Teutonic speed-metallers, the band now have an altogether more diverse stylistic approach displaying many more musical elements making the niftily-entitled "Menergy" worthy of any metal fans' ears. Throughout this the band's fourth studio-release, the 11 tracks on offer are interspersed with telephone-messages termed on the album as 'Teleshoots,' these soundbytes cleverly link tracks together as if the case with album opener "Worldmachine" into the infuriatingly catchy speedball rollercoaster, "Mastermind" and the title track. The band have now successfully developed using a powerful amalgam of strong melodic rock-oriented song structuring with the underlying power-packed drive they've utilised on previous outings. Other standout tracks are the pounding "Breakin' Loose," the Dio-esque vocalisms of "Evolution" and the bass-driven "Dreamland." One to please fans of old but definitely destined to win over many fans anew. Go on, do yourself a favour and plug straight into "Menergy." Classy stuff indeed!

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