Promise and Terror

Last updated

Promise and Terror
Blaze Bayley - Promise and Terror.jpg
Studio album by
Released1 February 2010
Genre Heavy metal
Length55:42
Label Blaze Bayley Records
Producer Blaze Bayley, Jase Edwards
Blaze Bayley chronology
The Man Who Would Not Die
(2008)
Promise and Terror
(2010)
The King of Metal
(2012)

Promise and Terror is the fifth studio album by English heavy metal band Blaze Bayley, released in 2010. It is the second studio album released by the band since they changed their name from Blaze, and the last album which Blaze Bayley established as the band, before Bayley himself decided to change the format as a solo artist for his subsequent albums. It is also the first Blaze Bayley album without a title track. [1]

Contents

Themes

The songs on Promise and Terror are very diverse in their themes; the first half of the album is more upbeat and positive, but the second half is darker and more introspective. "Surrounded by Sadness", the first acoustic song since the band changed their name, starts a four-song run-in, as the last songs on the album are thematically connected. [2] As stated in the sleeve notes inside the album cover, the last four songs follow the four steps of dealing with personal tragedy: loss, pain, grief and acceptance. These songs mostly address the loss of Bayley's wife and the struggle he and the band have had in the music world.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [3]
BW & BK Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [4]
Sea of TranquilityStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [5]
Metal-Temple.comStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [6]

The pre-sale for Promise and Terror quickly became the biggest in Blaze Bayley's history, as it charted at number 3 on UK pre-orders before its release. Blaze Bayley himself has stated that Promise and Terror is his best-selling solo album to date. [7]

Professional reviews for the album have ranged from positive to enthusiastic.

Track listing

  1. "Watching the Night Sky" – 3:36
  2. "Madness and Sorrow" – 3:09
  3. "1633" – 6:03
  4. "God of Speed" – 5:48
  5. "City of Bones" – 6:26
  6. "Faceless" – 3:46
  7. "Time to Dare" – 5:41
  8. "Surrounded by Sadness" – 3:59
  9. "The Trace of Things That Have No Words" – 5:48
  10. "Letting Go of the World" – 6:24
  11. "Comfortable in Darkness" – 4:29

Personnel

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References

  1. Saulnier, Jason (30 April 2010). "Blaze Bayley Interview". Music Legends. Retrieved 24 May 2013.
  2. Blaze Bayley: In For Life
  3. AllMusic review
  4. BW & BK review
  5. Sea Of Tranquility review
  6. Metal-Temple.com review Archived 13 February 2010 at the Wayback Machine
  7. Interview with Metal Assault on YouTube