Something of a Danish super group in the making, MISSING TIDE comprise members of ROYAL HUNT, PRETTY MAIDS and MANTICORA and that they are fronted by the extraordinary voice of ex-ROYAL HUNT singer Henrik Brockmann will bring this group much welcomed attention.

Lion Music has a knack of unearthing quality; MISSING TIDE is another fine addition to their roster.

This is a classy debut album let’s not get away from that fact. Marrying Heavy Metal with a stylish Melodic Metal boastfulness MISSING TIDE have a decidedly 1980’s sound to them. However that’s not to say this isn’t fresh, energetic and at times salivating Melodic Heavy Metal.

The guitar riffs are big, bold, and emphatic courtesy of Jacob Kjaer who also handles production, the back line of bassist Kasper Gram and drummer Allan Tschicaja is solid. So often with music of this genre it’s the guitarist and singer who get centre stage but Gram and Tschicaja provide much needed muscle and they stand loud, proud and tall.

Song wise the band run through the gamut of Heavy Metal and Melodic Metal power in the excellent title track that features some very fine guitar playing from Kjaer, the pulsating SAXON meets EUROPE crunch of ‘’Never Surrender’’ the underlying Metal-ness of ‘’Traces Of Fire’’ is not hard to miss with Kjaer once again coming to the fore with a sharp, ecstatic solo. ‘’Fairytale’’ encompasses a great Melodic sound whilst ‘’Dangerous’’ thunders and bangs in True Metal style.

The token lighters in the air banality of the simply awful ballad ‘’Broken Wings’’ harks back to those big budget videos of the 80’s and it’s really not required when there’s a glut of great tracks least of all the MAIDEN-esque gallop of ‘’Take Me High’’ and the sincerity of ‘’Long Live The Heroes’’ complete with a BLACK SABBATH bass line, an ode to the bands that gave MISSING TIDE their influences.

Definitely an instant favourite for fans of TALISMAN, OUTLOUD, ALTARIA and WHITESNAKE et al and IRON MAIDEN, SAXON and DIO.

Honestly Metal doesn’t get much better.

Metal Observer