Besides ROTTING CHRIST INNERWISH most probably are my favourite Greek band, but contrary to their dark countrymen the Athenian quintet plays great traditional Heavy/Power Metal, which might not be full of originality, but still has a lot of class and power.

Even though you don’t get much in the course of these 55 minutes that you have not found on other albums before, they bring so much passion and energy into their songs that you don’t even notice, which is something that I can definitely hold for the Greek fellas.

Stylewise INNERWISH still are roaming in the grey zone between Melodic, Heavy and Power Metal but without losing themselves in the many foot traps of this style, almost completely leaving out happy bombast, but rather concentrating on a more earthy style, which is marked by several factors. For one the very full and mid-pitched voice of Babis Alexandropolous, which gives the song some nice power, while the guitar work of Krikos Thimios and Tsigos Manolis delivers catchy, but still heavy riffs and here and there even surprises with acoustic passages.

Embedded into a fat production of MYSTIC PROPHECY's R.D. Liapakis they convince in the fat up-tempo with super catchy chorus of a "Travelers In Time" as well as in twin-guitars enriched midtempo like "Far Away" or the semi-ballad "Feel The Magic", so that one could really not complain, if these were the best songs already. They are very good, but not all yet that INNERWISH have in store, because with the closing trio they fire on all cylinders again.

"Dreamer Of The Night" is great Melodic Metal with very catchy chorus, "Inner Strength" breaks through with fast double-bass, before "Gates Of Fire" advances to be the highlight of the album, with a Spanish/oriental acoustic guitar at the beginning, then an electric guitar joins it, before everything speeds up into heavy, melodic mid-tempo, very strong song!

Anyone on the prowl for experiments and originality, continue searching, all traditionalists who value quality and passion more than the eternal quest for the grail of originality will find a very strong album in "Inner Strength", which combines power and catchiness and should not disappoint! (Online October 7, 2006)