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of longing, with backing female vocals that just add that little bit more to the overall feel. It is worthy of a separate purchase if you're not willing to dive into the whole album yet, and can be heard on Morian's Myspace page if you want to check it out before buying it.

But Sentinels is only just warming up at this point of the album. A good rock CD always has a ballad in it, and a superior rock album will back that ballad up with a thumping following track. The best thing Def Leppard did on their smash, Hysteria, was back up Love Bites with Pour Some Sugar on Me. Morian have done this backing up of thier ballad on Sentinels superbly with their brilliant thrashing, Rats in Walls. This song is fast, uplifting, melodic, and energizing. It has booming fast drums, an epic bass track, and addictive lyrics that remain long after the song has finished. It is a stand out song on an outstanding album.

Tomorrow She Comes is the 5th track on the 11 track Sentinels album and is a slow but thumping song that leads well into Flat Jacket, a very Faith No More type track that is a somewhat more mellow and relaxing song that demands a glass of bourbon and coke be drunk with it. It oozes of that kind of cheekiness, coolness, and sophistication.

Sleep of the Just is a worthy follow up to Tomorrow She Comes and leads into the best track on the album, Recoil. Recoil pounds into a rapid fire introduction that promises much, but it lives up to its promise every bit and more. It is an anthem for the 2000's (one metal and rock fans around the world have been crying out for). It starts with an atmospheric lead in, a bit like that which Fear Factory uses on their great album Obsolete, and it's as heavy in sound as some of Fear Factory's music as well, but with trademark synthesizer thrown in to boot, a kicking fast drum, and female backing vocals. The track resonates long and loud through five minutes plus of pure listening joy. It is head banging stuff, and melodic at the same time, and is the best track on this heavily loaded album of well-crafted material.

It's hard to go past Recoil, but Warmonger's Ball and Smoke and Mirrors are adequate follow ups and perfect transition songs to the final brilliant musical assault that Morian have produced with their fade out song, Remains (To Be Seen). A fade out song on a rock album is as every bit important as the kicking fast paced lead in song to the album. It leaves you mellow, fulfilled, gives yourself a chance to finish off that bourbon you started earlier, but also leaves you craving for more and keen to replay and relive the entire album. Radiohead did the best fade out song of all with their Street Spirit (Fade Out) off their brilliant Bends album, and Morian have done the same here on Sentinels.

Morian have talent, a new unique rock sound, and a keen marketing sense that will see them succeed. But what's more, Morian have taken Great Rock Album's 101, and created their own CD in the guise of what every rock album should be, an emotional and listening rollercoaster of highs and lows that rewards the audience for taking the time to listen. It is a tragedy that more of Morian's western counterparts don't take a leaf out of their book. Get the album, enjoy it as much as I have, and reminisce to a time when rock albums were made as albums and not just a compilation of singles all thrown together.

Learn more about this author, Chris Pavey.
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