┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │■ ■│ │ .-/ .-. │ │ _.-~ / ___ | ~-._ │ │ \:/ -~| / __/| .\:/ │ │ / || (:/:| \ │ │ / /\/| |:\___\| |\ \ │ │ / /:::|.::/:::/:.|:\ \ │ │ / /:::/ \\/:::/::/:::\ \ │ │ / .::\ \-~~~~-/\/:.. \ │ │ /..:::::\ /:::::..\ │ │ /::::::::- -::::::::\ │ │ \:::::-~ ~-:::::/ │ │ \:-~ ~-:/ │ │ METAL CLASSICS ARCHIVE │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ P R E S E N T S │ │ │ │ │ │ + Zed Yago - Pilgrimage + │ │ │ │ │ │╔═════════════════════╗ │ │║ Release Information ║ │ │╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │ │║ ║ │ │║ Release Date.Mar-28-2014 Encoder......L3.97 -V2 --vbr-new ║ │ │║ Genre........Heavy Metal Graber.......EAC ║ │ │║ Year.........1989 Khz/Bitrate..44,1/ Br ║ │ │║ ║ │ │║ Ripper.......anthem Songs........11 ║ │ │║ Covers.......Yes Url... www.zed-yago.com ║ │ │║ ║ │ │╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │╔═════════════════════╗ │ │║ Release Notes ║ │ │╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │ │║ ║ │ │║ Artist : Zed Yago Rating : You Decide! ║ │ │║ Album : Pilgrimage Label : BMG ║ │ │║ ║ │ │║ ║ │ │╠════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣ │ │║ ║ │ │║ Description : ║ │ │║ ║ │ │║ Pilgrimage is the second album from the German ║ │ │║ heavy power metal band Zed Yago, and in my ║ │ │║ humble opinion the very best work Jutta Weinhold ║ │ │║ has ever put her stamp on, with an ║ │ │║ unforgettable, epic vocal performance that ║ │ │║ absolutely destroys any other female fronted ║ │ │║ album of its type in the 80s. About the only ║ │ │║ thing that comes close here would be Leather ║ │ │║ Leone's years fronting Chastain, but the fact ║ │ │║ that this act never caught on while the similar, ║ │ │║ and less impressive Warlock were able to tour ║ │ │║ much of the world is shocking. Not that Doro's ║ │ │║ first success was anything to scoff at, but ║ │ │║ compare any of those records to Pilgrimage and ║ │ │║ shudder. ║ │ │║ ║ │ │║ In fact, this is one of the best German metal ║ │ │║ albums of its type, with a wholly consistent set ║ │ │║ of breathtaking tunes that carry conventional ║ │ │║ but catchy melodies, strong guitar rhythms, the ║ │ │║ precise if primitive drumming of Bubi. It's also ║ │ │║ the best example of 'pirate metal' I can think ║ │ │║ of outside of the gods Running Wild, as Jutta ║ │ │║ presents her concept of Zed Yago, the fictional ║ │ │║ daughter of the Flying Dutchman's captain, who ║ │ │║ roams a world embroiled in both adventure and ║ │ │║ folklore. Weinhold had always expressed a desire ║ │ │║ to translate famous literary works into the ║ │ │║ metal realm. It was hardly a novel idea by the ║ │ │║ late 80s (Iron Maiden had been doing it for over ║ │ │║ a decade at that point, among others), but ║ │ │║ evidence that Zed Yago were not simply some ║ │ │║ stupid band screaming METAL THIS METAL THAT from ║ │ │║ the rafters. These compositions were built to ║ │ │║ last, long after the band dwindled away, ║ │ │║ reformed as Velvet Viper, and never again ║ │ │║ reached this level of excellence. ║ │ │║ ║ │ │║ Pilgrimage is the best Zed Yago album in EVERY ║ │ │║ category. It was released through RCA, so for ║ │ │║ once, the band had some actual money to put into ║ │ │║ its production. You'll notice the cover art here ║ │ │║ is actually quite stunning here, a painting of ║ │ │║ the ghostly lead character in their mythos ║ │ │║ sitting in some galley or tavern, in the ║ │ │║ presence of the band themselves (proof that ║ │ │║ Weinhold and Zed are separate entities, whereas ║ │ │║ some speculated she was trying to project ║ │ │║ herself into the character). Though its arguably ║ │ │║ the weakest point to this record, the production ║ │ │║ itself was still quite nice, with the typical ║ │ │║ 80s centrism on the vocal lines. Often on some ║ │ │║ stereos I feel the guitars get a little lost, ║ │ │║ which is a shame since they are so lovingly ║ │ │║ articulate at driving her voice through these ║ │ │║ forgotten tales, but on others I can hear them ║ │ │║ clearly. In all cases, the drums crash at an ║ │ │║ acceptable level and you can hear the bass tones ║ │ │║ as they thicken the storm, like the waves of an ║ │ │║ angry, stirred sea frothing at the hull of a ║ │ │║ wayward vessel. ║ │ │║ ║ │ │║ The lyrics are not even remotely retarded. For ║ │ │║ example, compare this to any of Manowar's 80s ║ │ │║ efforts, or Helloween, and you'll quickly see ║ │ │║ how important the literary influence was to ║ │ │║ Jutta and the band. Granted, English is her ║ │ │║ second language, and they may not flow as pure ║ │ │║ poetry, but I reiterate, this was not a band ║ │ │║ crafting disposable pop metal for arenas. This ║ │ │║ was made to last, and its timeless craftsmanship ║ │ │║ has served me well for over 20 years! So close ║ │ │║ your eyes, drift off to a realm of fantasy, ║ │ │║ lightning cracked skies, ports of danger and ║ │ │║ mystery, and some vivid, rousing, passionate ║ │ │║ metal of the purest strain! ║ │ │║ ║ │ │║ The "Pilgrim's Choir" inaugurates the record, ║ │ │║ with some anthem-like German opera metal guitars ║ │ │║ that are joined by synthesized orchestration. ║ │ │║ You get the impression curtains are lifting upon ║ │ │║ some viking or sailor about to lurch into a ║ │ │║ searing soprano, and as the climax develops into ║ │ │║ an actual choral section, the guitar feedback ║ │ │║ rolls into the slowly but surely riffing title ║ │ │║ track. Graceful, careful melodies carry the day ║ │ │║ to the savage sounding chorus riff worthy of ║ │ │║ Rock'n'Rolf himself, while gang shouts erupt ║ │ │║ from the crows nest around :55. Few bands had ║ │ │║ this ability to play in such a relaxed pace, and ║ │ │║ yet still conquer you...the arabesque hymnal of ║ │ │║ the bridge that precludes the lead section is ║ │ │║ further evidence. "The Fear of Death" uses this ║ │ │║ slower pacing once more to superb levels of ║ │ │║ excellence, a tear jerking, descending melody ║ │ │║ that Jutta counteracts with a silken, seductive ║ │ │║ poise. I'm crying right now just listening to it ║ │ │║ for the millionth time! The things I endure to ║ │ │║ bring the truth to you folks. ║ │ │║ ║ │ │║ 'Call the foreign dimension finally to earth ║ │ │║ More than we know appears in a dream ║ │ │║ Disappears into space a taste of rebirth ║ │ │║ DonÆt, donÆt want to be defeated no... ║ │ │║ But we are, but we are in the second we are ║ │ │║ born...' ║ │ │║ ║ │ │║ Meaningful heavy metal in the 80s? Lies! Listen ║ │ │║ to the solo bridge, with the slowly churning, ║ │ │║ bad ass blues metal rhythm in the backdrop. Eat ║ │ │║ your hearts out, Schenker and Jabs! Jimmy and ║ │ │║ Gunnar were on fire! Following this emotional ║ │ │║ landscape, the band decides to pick up the pace ║ │ │║ through the light, digestible speed metal of ║ │ │║ "Pioneer of the Storm", with riffs just as tasty ║ │ │║ as anything you'll find on the first few ║ │ │║ Queensr che or Dokken LPs. Once more, the band ║ │ │║ crafts up a wonderful bridge of sweet leads ║ │ │║ across a great backing rhythm, and the lower ║ │ │║ guitar notes wailing off against the final verse ║ │ │║ is likewise immortal. This is followed by the ║ │ │║ timeless "Black Bone Song", which pays tribute ║ │ │║ to the damned crew of the Flying Dutchman from ║ │ │║ folklore. This is not my favorite track on the ║ │ │║ album, but it was probably the band's best known ║ │ │║ title at live performances, with some simple, ║ │ │║ fist in the air guitars that strut proudly ║ │ │║ across the bow while Jutta serves up a killer ║ │ │║ chorus over the slyly inserted, busier axe ║ │ │║ melodies. She also pulls out some lower, rasping ║ │ │║ vocals here which show her ability to get down ║ │ │║ and dirty, and the crew shouts and moans here ║ │ │║ are pretty cool. ║ │ │║ ║ │ │║ Congratulations, we're still blessed to have ║ │ │║ over half the album left! "Rose of Martyrdom" is ║ │ │║ a majestic yet melancholic piece in which the ║ │ │║ sombering vocals really take the fore, melodic ║ │ │║ semi-speed metal licks resounding off in the ║ │ │║ distance. "The Man Who Stole the Holy Fire" has ║ │ │║ a nice little spin on a Zeppelin meets Def ║ │ │║ Leppard riff which totally stands out to memory, ║ │ │║ and "Achilles Heel" is a straight, perfect ║ │ │║ rocker which will easily appeal to a fan of ║ │ │║ Warlock, Saxon or other big riff 80s street ║ │ │║ metal, with an amazing, warlike gang chorus ║ │ │║ around 1:45. You have just had a sailor's clog ║ │ │║ stuffed right up your rectum, but the band lets ║ │ │║ you down easily with a soaring bridge. "The Pale ║ │ │║ Man" is a slowly escalating power ballad which ║ │ │║ thankfully engages due to the vocal performance. ║ │ │║ Had Joey Tempest written this for a Europe ║ │ │║ record, it probably would have been huge. Alas, ║ │ │║ Jutta and crew were destined to wallow in ║ │ │║ obscurity. The remaining songs return to the ║ │ │║ harder rocking format, though lyrically they ║ │ │║ depart into other subject matter: the excellent ║ │ │║ "Omega Child" sounding like it would have fit in ║ │ │║ on one of Kingdom Come's (highly underrated) ║ │ │║ early records, and "Fallen Angel" gallops at a ║ │ │║ similar pace as it tells the parable of some ║ │ │║ sinful divinity (I like to think it's about ║ │ │║ Lucifer directly). ║ │ │║ ║ │ │║ Despite all the cards it brought into play, Zed ║ │ │║ Yago's Pilgrimage was unfortunately lost in a ║ │ │║ bad shuffle of the deck. 1989 was a busy year, ║ │ │║ with many bands' careers steamrolling, and the ║ │ │║ wallets of so many fans already committed to the ║ │ │║ developing thrash metal titans of the US or the ║ │ │║ safer melodic power and late NWOBHM fare out of ║ │ │║ Europe. As such, Jutta Weinhold and her boys ║ │ │║ were not able to make the same impact as an ║ │ │║ Accept, Warlock, Helloween or Gamma Ray, and ║ │ │║ it's a crying shame, since the band would lose ║ │ │║ their big record deal and she would then disband ║ │ │║ them. The 'Zed Yago' concept does not end here, ║ │ │║ of course, because Jutta and Lars would return ║ │ │║ with some new gentlemen for the very similar ║ │ │║ band Velvet Viper, but none of that ║ │ │║ incarnation's output could match the grace and ║ │ │║ excellence of this sadly neglected slab of ║ │ │║ memorable mirth and melody. It's not exactly ║ │ │║ 'perfect', for there are one or two songs ║ │ │║ slightly less impressive than the remainder ║ │ │║ (those songs would be "Fallen Angel" and "Rose ║ │ │║ of Martyrdom"), but it's an enormous improvement ║ │ │║ over From Over Yonder, and the fact that I still ║ │ │║ listen to an album so often today that most ║ │ │║ would consider 'dated' or 'insignificant' only ║ │ │║ proves its enduring quality. ║ │ │║ ║ │ │║ If it is crushing German power/speed metal that ║ │ │║ you seek, then seek it on another island. The ║ │ │║ buried treasure on this will not appeal to you. ║ │ │║ That's not what Zed Yago were about. They were ║ │ │║ about dreamy, drifting compositions that ║ │ │║ resonate far into the ears and imagination, and ║ │ │║ Pilgrimage conjures such a strong, pale fire of ║ │ │║ inspiration that its embers still glow today, ║ │ │║ far brighter than the newer album Jimmy Durand ║ │ │║ and his wife would put out under the same band ║ │ │║ moniker in 2005 (Jimmy held on to the legal ║ │ │║ rights to the name). ║ │ │║ ║ │ │║ ║ │ │║ ║ │ │╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │╔═════════════════════╗ │ │║ Release Tracklist ║ │ │╚═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════ │ │ │ │ 01 - Pilgrim┤s Choir [02:10] │ │ 02 - Pilgrimage [04:30] │ │ 03 - The Fear Of Death [05:43] │ │ 04 - Pioner Of The Storm [04:11] │ │ 05 - Black Bone Song [05:10] │ │ 06 - Rose Of The Martyrdom [04:38] │ │ 07 - The Man Who Stole The Holy Fire [04:46] │ │ 08 - Achilles Heel [03:58] │ │ 09 - The Pale Man [04:52] │ │ 10 - Omega Child [04:05] │ │ 11 - Falen Angel [03:58] │ │ │ │ Total Length : [48:01 minn │ │ │ │ │ │ ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ╔═════════════════════╗ │ │ ║ Greetings To: ║ │ │ ╚═════════════════════╝ │ │ │ │ Too all people who contributes to make this │ │ archive of good music in a exceptional conditions │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │■ ■│ └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘