http://www.rockreport.be/

Some of you out there will remember that I was ‘charmed’ by “Edge Of Time”, the second album from German melodic rock band Dark Sky, which was released by GoodLife Records in the autumn of 2002. The follow-up, called “Living & Dying”, is the first for new label AOR Heaven and it marks another huge step forward for this sympathetic fivesome from the south of Germany. The recordings took place in the Bazement Studios near Wiesbaden with nobody else than Markus Teske in the producer’s seat. The man is known from his work with Vanden Plas and surely knows how to set down a solid sound. In the past some reviewers accused Dark Sky of being too keyboard-orientated, but that’s surely not the case with this new album. Of course the keykoards still play an important role in the overall sound of the band, but in some of the tracks the guitars are prominent.

The strength of this album lies in the variety of the material. As far as I’m concerned, it’s obvious that the songs come from the heart and that this has resulted in exciting and catchy songs, compact yet full of melody and emotion. Some will call Dark Sky a typical German band, but a fat lot I care. As long as the quality is so high as what we get here, it doesn’t matter of which origin the band is. Guys, I’d like to welcome you to the first league of German melodic rock bands, already populated by such great bands as Bonfire, Jaded Heart and a whole lot more.

(CL)
 

http://melodic.net/

I have never heard of this German hard rock act called Dark Sky but according to their biography,they have released 2 albums in 2000 and 2002 so "Living and dying" is not an album from a newcomer which I thought.

Musicwise,we can look at similar bands like Casanova,Fair Warning,Bonfire and Frontline - AOR based hardrock the German way so to speak and this band handles it very well. This is nothing revolutionary but I need this dose of classic hard rock to make a balance towards all the modern rock and numetal my body inhales all week.

Their singer Frank Breuninger sounds a bit like Klaus Meine on a few songs but it never gets annoying,I also like the edgy guitars and the major part of these 13 songs are quite nice so if you´re a freak for this kinda 80´s hard rock - spend some money on March 29th when it´s released.

The track "Back again" could´ve been lifted off the album coz my godness what a Scandi/Eurovision smelling song it is,I´m glad it´s the only one of it´s kind.
 

http://melodicrock.com.

Songs: 80%
Sound: 90%
Total: 85%