A guest album review by Andrew Goodhew of Wota of the Roundtable Podcast.

Steam punk Captain Mina and her crew in the name of Fate Gear are back with their fourth full length album called The Sky Prison, featuring a great range of talented vocalists.

The Sky Prison featuring Nana: The first single release of the album, not only packs a punch with a very classic power metal vibe, but also features guest violinist Jill of Unlucky Morpheus. It is a catchy and maybe even a great way to start a live show too. Bonvoi Jars anyone to this amazing journey across the sky.

カルミア featuring Nana: A much faster track with another great feel to album with loads of great riffs from every angle followed with an amazing guitar solo from Mina with a epic chorus that could get the crowd going.

Draw Your Dagger : A dark intro feel like Headless Goddess was, with guea vocals from Mali Oyama. Erica shows off her energetic talent at the start and keeps this dark atmospheric feel going which I like. This song definitely gives keyboard player Yuri her time to shine with dual solos with Mina, also bagpipes are being heard here too.

Dancing in the Moonlight featuring RAMI: This song features RAMI on vocals and those of you that do not know her, she was the original vocalist of all female metal veterans Aldious. In my opinion this song has that sort of Aldious vibe too. I love how the song has a great guitar solo intro from Mina. Everything just blends well with RAMI here. Great work as always from Fate Gear, with a classic power metal gallop in this too.

Battle Against Justice: Wow, this is probably the heaviest song on the album. Nana is shouting and screaming in this, as well as her clean vocals in the chorus that she has been been doing in this album. A great little breakdown followed by a great solo too.

Prisoners featuring Nana: Slow and heavy start to the song, a sudden one second pause and then Big Bang of everything to follow. Another fantastic song which has that power that could get the crowd going at times. I love how the verses are done here.

Father: A instrumental song and it is a peaceful 1 too. Nothing more I can say.

処断の刻: Vocalist Maki Oyami is back on this track, with a slow start for a few seconds and then song takes off fast. I am liking it and is another lovely track, with great verses and an epic chorus that I would be proud to sing along too. A lovely slow guitar solo and back into full power with a keyboard solo in the middle. Words cannot described the ending for this. It is just so good.

Child of Memories: The last song of the album and it has got a similar feel to The Sky Pirates but slightly different. Another song for Nana which she shows what she can do for what she can do with her singing. Keyboard solo Yuri with a guitar solo too.

This album has been a great ride and brilliant story telling, featuring so many talented musicians and vocalists. There is a great blend of everything that makes this record so great. A great way to start the year with The Sky Prison

Score 8.5/10

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