Three years are a damn long time. Especially, if you impatiently wait for a new sign of life. And I probably haven't been the only one in this situation, but any EQUILIBRIUM fan. Their debut still finds its regular way into my CD player, but could the Bavarians meet the immensely high expectations?

At the beginning I would have clearly said no, but as so often it took a few sessions to melt into the songs. Yes, the catchiness of "Turis Fratyr" seems to have gotten lost a little somewhere, but that is deceiving. The songs are a bit more complex and overall more detailed, but after four rotations latest you will have fallen for the mateiral just like for the old songs, wanna bet? My personal favourite is the high speed grenade "Verrat", which starts out liek VADER. And of course the greatly grooving "Unbesiegt". Honestly folks, at one point I want to have sex to "Unbesiegt"!

Of course EQUILIBRIUM could have taken the easy way out and just write several copies of their classic "Met", which they thankfully have not done. And I am infinitely thankful for that, so that there is only one song ("Blut Im Auge") that follows in the footsteps of "Met".

I have no idea, which kind of balalaika the guys are plucking on "Ruf In Den Wind", but the whole thing sounds incredibly great and then the pan flute elements, I could cry. And if the doomy "Dämmerung”, which reminds me of “Last Of The Dynasty” (SECRECY), doesn't turn into a classic, I will eat a broom. Closing instrumental "Mana" also is unbelievable, who cares about “The Call Of Ktulu” by METALLICA!!!

No matter how you twist and turn it, as Heathen Metal freaks you just can't pass by "Sagas". And it won't matter, if it took three more years for the next album, I will patiently wait, because i know that the guys and girl will deliver again!

(Online December 29, 2008)