(Hard Rock | Melodic Hard Rock) Chalice - Shotgun Alley - 2005, FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

EAC extraction logfile from 3. December 2009, 2:43 for CD
Chalice / Shotgun Alley CD1
Used drive  : _NEC    DVD_RW ND-3500AG   Adapter: 0  ID: 2
Read mode   : Secure with NO C2, accurate stream, disable cache
Read offset correction : 48
Overread into Lead-In and Lead-Out : No
Used output format : Internal WAV Routines
                     44.100 Hz; 16 Bit; Stereo
Other options      :
    Fill up missing offset samples with silence : Yes
    Delete leading and trailing silent blocks : No
    Installed external ASPI interface
Range status and errors
Selected range
     Filename E:\spiralarch\Chalice - Shotgun Alley CD1.wav
     Peak level 100.0 %
     Range quality 100.0 %
     CRC 0ECB7C62
     Copy OK
No errors occured
End of status report.
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EAC extraction logfile from 3. December 2009, 3:12 for CD
Chalice / Shotgun Alley CD2
Used drive  : _NEC    DVD_RW ND-3500AG   Adapter: 0  ID: 2
Read mode   : Secure with NO C2, accurate stream, disable cache
Read offset correction : 48
Overread into Lead-In and Lead-Out : No
Used output format : Internal WAV Routines
                     44.100 Hz; 16 Bit; Stereo
Other options      :
    Fill up missing offset samples with silence : Yes
    Delete leading and trailing silent blocks : No
    Installed external ASPI interface
Range status and errors
Selected range
     Filename E:\spiralarch\Chalice - Shotgun Alley CD2.wav
     Peak level 98.8 %
     Range quality 100.0 %
     CRC 8656EBC3
     Copy OK
No errors occured
End of status report

CHÂLICE were founded in the early Nineties. The direction that Gino Naschke, Oliver Scheer, Steve Lagleder, Michael Mehl and their erstwhile keyboarder took from the beginning was grooving melodic metal with international appeal. The band came to the publics attention for the first time on a rock sampler in 1993, playing with Steve Lukather (Toto), Asia, Virgin Steele and Alannah Miles in spring 1994, and releasing their debut, In Wonderland, one year later. Their second album, Persistence Of Time, was recorded in autumn 1996 and praised profusely by magazines such as Rock Hard (nice phat sound), Metal Hammer (CHÂLICE have developed into an independent act that always hits the golden mean at the interface of prog rock and straight US metal), Hard Line (fantastic, extremely driving and transparent production) or Rock City (a breathtaking, exciting atmosphere in these songs).

Album number 5 from German band Châlice and a great one. "Shotgun Alley" is slightly less progressive than its predecessor "Chameleonation" (2002) and more straightforward.
Châlice combines great guitar riffs with great songs and very memorable choruses and sound wise this album could easily have been released back in the 80's. Give it a few spins in your CD-player and you will find a release which never gets boring or shallow. The music here just seems to thumps its way through your speakers and into your ears.
We get 13 tracks of first class Hard Rock and Melodic Metal. The limited 2-CD comes with a bonus Best of-CD. "Shotgun Alley" is produced by Dennis Ward (Pink Cream 69) at House of Audio, Karlsdorf, Germany. Oliver Scheer has done the cover artwork.
13 first class songs, and it's very hard for me to name any standout tracks, because they are all very good, but maybe "Hollywood Daze" is my favourite. Straightforward track with a very memorable chorus that will stick in your head for a long time.
Sure, Châlice don't reinvent the wheel, but I don't give a shit about that, this is a hard rocking, fucking great CD anyway. From top to bottom, Châlice bring to you a Rock album that so many artists try to create, but fail. Hopefully they will prevail out there, but only time will tell.
If Hard Rock and straightforward Melodic Metal is your thing… Get this album now! Or as they say in Germany ; - Sofort zuschlagen!

Lineup:
Gino Naschke - lead and backing vocals
Oliver Scheer - guitars
Burkhard Becker - keyboards
Steve Lagleder - bass, acoustic guitar and backing vocals
Michael Mehl - drums and backing vocals