Artist: BOOK OF REFLECTIONS
Album: RELENTLESS FIGHTER (CD)

Year: 2012
Media type: CD

Never one to sit still, guitarist/composer LARS ERIC MATTSSON resurrects BOOK OF REFLECTIONS for the stampeding metal attack of “RELENTLESS FIGHTER”. Joined by two killer vocalists in CARSTEN ‘LIZARD’ SCHULZ (Evidence One, ex Domain) and MARKKU KUIKKA (Status Minor), Mattsson has penned 10 new tracks which are firmly rooted in a neo-classically tinted metal framework along with the usual ‘outside-the-box’ Mattsson musical trickery.

Whilst there are two prior chapters to the Book Of Reflections story in the self titled debut and its follow up ‘Unfold The Future’, the new album is heavier, more direct and with more potent songs. Mattsson himself concedes, “Stylistically it’s closer to the debut than the second album but the songs are better and the sound is a step on too. The idea was to make a rocking album with some cool details but nothing too complex. The songs all fit together and complement each other rather than having material that is too diverse. This was also the main idea behind the first album while on the 2nd album things were a bit too spread out and it maybe lost some focus as a result”.

“Relentless Fighter” also sees Mattsson back to his six string best, with some of the fiercest fretwork his has recorded in recent years, the trademark mix of neo-classical motifs along with Mattsson ultra fluid lead lines make for compelling listening for guitar fanatics, yet Mattsson also knows that guitar wow factor is nothing without a solid song backing it up.

Relentless Fighter was composed during the autumn of 2011 and recorded between September and December of 2011. Mattsson comments, “For once things went really smoothly and we didn’t have any problems whatsoever”. The album was mixed and mastered in December 2011 at the new Lion Cage Studio, Aland.

“Relentless Fighter” marks an exciting new chapter in the Book of Reflections story and is an essential purchase for fans of grandiose neo-classical metal with the odd progressive touch.

TRACKLIST:

01. Until the Day
02. Dance With the Devil
03. Angel Shed a Tear.
04. Bleeding Dry.
05. Rise Up!
06. Crashing Through.
07. Somewhere Else to Be.
08. Gates to Oblivion.
09. Keep Us Afloat.
10. Without My Angel

LINE-UP:

Carsten “Lizard” Schulz – Lead and Backing Vocals (1,3,5,7,9)
Markku Kuikka – Lead and Backing Vocals (2,4,6,10)
Lars Eric Mattsson – Guitar, Bass and Keyboards
Christer Jansson – Drums