Genghis Khan – The Awaking & The Passage Review: A Heavy/Power (Speed) Metal band from the US, formed in 1985. On October 6th, 2017, the band put out a compilation release, The Awaking & The Passage 1, which would gratify fans of Savatage and Mercyful Fate. released through Heaven and Hell Records and promoted through Pennsylvania Music Fan PR.
Genghis Khan – The Awaking & The Passage Review opens and discusses the FIRST SIN: THE STRINGS/KEYS. Which consists of strings of fast-heavy riffs with an injection of melodies and harmonies
Let’s talk about the SECOND SIN: THE VOCALS, which involves high-pitch screams
Moving on to the THIRD SIN: THE PERCUSSIONS, which delves into the vast world of fast galloping (robust) drum strikes and beats
In our following discussion about the band’s musical work, we will focus on the FOURTH SIN, the overall DISCUSSION of the album. The listener immediately presses that play button, one is welcome to the self-titled opening piece GENGHIS KHAN, where the listener is welcome to an introductory (grand/epic) symphonic/orchestral opening (something from a theatrical play/movie opening) -following suit with an instrumental serge of the epic-power driven riffages and drums, along with fist-pumping/head banging anthem chants -following suit with this bewitching classic metal and Mercyful Fate atmosphere and vocals.
As one continues their journey with the second track, LEGION, and the remaining eight tracks, the listener is taken back to 1985, when the band arose from the heavy metal ashes of birth, releasing two demos, THE AWAKENING in 86′ and THE PASSAGE in 89′ and now presented in a compilation release (mentioned above) where THE AWAKENING and THE PASSAGE provide the listener’s ears with a powerful release which consists of elements such as heavy metal, power metal and speed and a flare of early proto-black metal with the influences of SAVATAGE and MERCYFUL FACE.
At the same time, GENGHIS KHAN delivers a release with solid production in sound, consisting of excellent devilmanship composed of a complex and designed formula of hard-hitting (raw) power/speed metal instrumental work, which utilizes fast galloping (robust) drum strikes and beats, guitar work consisting of (distortion) fast-heavy riffs with an injection of melodies and harmonies/shredding work. In contrast, the vocals deliver a vocal range with a high-pitch technique of giving the listener this -Eqsue KING DIAMOND vibe (including the whole musical spectrum) of giving the listener the delight of classic heavy, power/speed metal in a firepower-driven-dark theatrical atmosphere of KING DIAMOND.
Certainly worth discovering, GENGHIS KHAN has outdone itself with this amplified adrenaline eighties metal delight.
I wanted to share our thoughts and MEMORABILIA on the FIFTH SIN. Not sure where you begin? Yet the guitar and drum work is fantastic, with the firepower behind the helm. Classic and a delight to discover this 80’s gem!
Let’s discuss the ARTWORK of the SIXTH SIN. It’s cool-looking artwork; the evil-dead/Necronomicon reference is excellent…
Finally, the review will close with the last sin, the SEVENTH SIN, the DISRELISH. With nothing to disrelish within the musical world of GENGHIS KHAN. This concludes the Genghis Khan – The Awaking & The Passage Review.
The Awakening & The Passage Song-listing:
- Genghis Khan
- Legions
- Barbaric Lust
- Merciless Death
- The Seige
- Chariots
- Beyond Death
- The Passage
- The Pillars of R’lyeh
- Perish & Die
Genghis Khan Members:
- Keith Uram (bass)
- Dave Blake (drums)
- Brian Blake (guitars)
- J. Struzzi (vocals)
- Featuring their first two demos ↩︎
