Band: Nightmare Album: Genetic Disorder Label: Regain Records Rating: 8.5/10 Website: http://www.nightmare-metal.com BUY NOW!

Referring back to my review of their last album, 2005's "The Dominion Gate", I said that although it was a pretty decent album, there was nothing that really stood out and nor was their anything overly memorable about the whole experience. With this one though, they really have focused all their efforts, and it pays off well. Unlike "The Dominion Gate" there are several tracks really stand head and shoulders above the rest. One of the first things you'll notice is that it is a fair bit heavier and darker than the previous one and the production, courtesy of Fredrik Nordstrom (Arch Enemy, In Flames, etc) is very clean, and maybe slightly over produced somewhat for Nightmare's more rawer style. The first three tracks, "Nothing Left Behind", "Battleground or Suicide" and "Queen of Love & Pain" are by far the real highlights of the album, with the "Battleground For Suicide" deserving a notable mention. There are then a few hit or miss numbers that are distinctly average when compared with the rest of the album. Luckily though, it does pick up towards the end with "Forsaken Child" and then carries on to a heavy finish. Apart from the triple attack of the mentioned opening songs, the album did take a while and a few listens to grow on me, but the end results are very impressive and the album really hits the spots that "The Dominion Gate" failed to reach. If you're Power Metal-minded, be sure to check this one out. Chris Rogers Back to Reviews