Master Spy plays heavy metal that focuses on “long epics in the vein of Iron Maiden.” At one point in the comments, our friend stated that “it took me two years to find a vocalist on par with the likes of Bruce or Halford.” Bold, bold claim there, but it’s not wrong. In fact, if I’d listened to this without knowing who it was, I would have bet money that Bruce Dickinson was actually singing here. The tone, the vibrato, the range — it’s all nearly a perfect match for latter-day Bruce. Color me impressed. And yes, the music simply oozes year-2000-and-beyond Maiden, along with huge synth flourishes that hint at the Somewhere in Time/Seventh Son era. The embedded title track is a 10-minute anxiety-producing romp with galloping bass, soaring guitars, and stellar vocals. It’s not the song of the year, but it’s certainly good — and the best song on the album.
My promo materials don’t include any information about the band, but I’ve been able to glean some info from our friend’s comments. Apparently, the record was mixed by Roland Grapow (Helloween and Masterplan), who also contributed some guitar parts, and one of the guitarists is named Roman Nemtsev. Aside from songwriting, I’m not sure what our commenting friend did specifically on the record (I’d like to imagine he’s a Steve Harris, lead-from-the-bass type), but I can say that he knows his way around a melody. The songs here are absolutely drenched in cool classic metal textures, and the choruses (especially “Operation Black Veil” and “Alien Encounter”) have been embedded in my mind to the point where I wake up hearing them.
Ultimately, The Train ends up fitting the description of the “mixed” rating to a tee. Aesthetically, the record is beautiful and just about nails the sound for which it is shooting. Unfortunately, the album’s substance doesn’t match the grandeur of its form, and I don’t see myself returning often for anything other than perhaps the title track. That being said, Master Spy has potential. “The Train” proves that our friend has that “x-factor” that all good songwriters must possess, and if he can continue to hone and refine his craft, success is virtually guaranteed.
Rating: 2.5/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 270 kbps VBR mp3
Label: Self-released
Website: masterspy.bandcamp.com
Releases Worldwide: September 13th, 2021