So far, Jacksonville, Florida hasn't been exactly brimming with good metal bands. In spite of Limp Bizkit hailing from this town, music-wise, this corner of the country is more of a grey spot on the map. All this doesn't make things easier for an outfit like SKYLINER - especially when your style focuses on the more traditional, melodic, slighty progressive Power Metal with a European touch. But maybe that's exactly the incentive for Jake Becker and his bandmates? The boys give everything they have, and they have left behind the local scene indeed. 'Outsiders' is the band's awesome, enthusiastic, refreshing debut album, a real Power Metal gem. The songs on this first album are based on passion and technical versatility - and this first great impression is perfected by a crystal-clear, extremely transparent production. The symbiosis of classy, sophisticated song writing characteristic for the US and the traditional Heavy Metal values and virtues of European combos turn 'Outsiders' into a metal fireworks par excellence.
Limb Music consider SKYLINER to have enormous potential, resulting in a contract for this gifted band - Limb Music will release 'Outsiders' worldwide. 'Outsiders' is a musical tornado combining tempo, progressive influences, epic melodies, great vocals and classic riffs in a masterly technical way. 'Signals', an intro of almost three minutes, opens the door for the album - without any break, it merges with the remarkably fast 'Symphony In Black'. After a minute, Jake Becker's charismatic, distinctive voice adds yet another wonderful facet to the riff fireworks, and you feel like you're in metal heaven. In spite of the pace and the unique rhythm, the track also features some massive Prog parts, topping the whole thing off with a catchy chorus - simply superb! Equally fantastic, 'Undying Wings' starts a bit unusual, but leaves an indelible sound memory in your brain with its awesome tune. In spite of a rough, dominating guitar, this song is also based on a great melody and a galloping beat. 'Aria Of The Waters', about nine minutes long, brims with tempo and rhythm changes and an ever-changing atmosphere - even Dream Theater wouldn't be able to pull it off better. On this song, Jake Becker's superior vocal performance is outstanding - he sounds a bit more aggressive and even will remind you of Peavy (Rage) sometimes. The final track 'Worlds Of Conflict' -with 22 minutes, it's also the longest on this record- is an impressive demonstration of the US quartet's versatility. SKYLINER show all the facets of their musical prowess and their creative force - even Becker doesn't refrain from contributing some rough growls as support for the sometimes very hard riffs, but there's still a lot of Prog power around. The mid-section of the song is very dramatic, leading to a remarkable, pumping Power Metal finale. What a fabulous end for an album! 'Outsiders' is an epitome of Power/Prog Metal - 2014 has only just begun, but it has already delivered this really exciting surprise, and chances are good it will be one of the most distinctive debuts of the year.
Loads of Cliff Burton-era Metallica and Iron Maiden in a 2018 production. Fat layers of excellent vocals not heard since Dio. Form and function match up perfectly. FallenAngel
Wow, really empress by the harmonie of theirs voices and the damm good guits riffs. Discoveted the band in august 2023. My life will be better now :p
best track: Silent Chambers Simon Gingras
Blackened death metal riffs and Lovecraftian horror go hand-in-hand on the Seattle brutalists' ferocious eight-track epic. Bandcamp New & Notable Dec 6, 2023