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Second album from Italian survivors Shining Fury here, and it takes a very different approach to their somewhat formulaic debut (which is actually a superior record, but let's not get wrapped up in that here). Another Life boasts much of the same in the way of melodic Power Metal a la Alkemyst, Secret Sphere and latter-period Labyrinth, although with a greater number of heavier, guitar based numbers (and some of the most disturbing use of the double-pedal I've heard within the genre), Shining Fury offer us a strange, unfocused collection of songs that range from the truly excellent – the speedy title track for example – to the monstrously awful – "Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde".

Now, the album has some really great, interesting, and enjoyable parts, particularly in the riff department. There is some sick playing to be had, strangely heavy in places, and while former Athena vocalist Francesco Neretti has a soft, girly croon, he hits the notes with conviction (as if his testicles have been caught in an alligator's jaw, actually) and manages to deliver a storming performance. With a patchy production – which is at times fierce and powerful, others clipping and muddy – Another Life is certainly a mixed bag, but one that at least pushes the boundaries (an inch or two, anyway).