1967/ 1976
Difficult to assign a correct genre: this album present Traditional Heavy Metal with songs similar to those produced by the first Bon Jovi. But this music is not AOR. Pomp Metal? Maybe. In my opinion this album is an album of Traditional heavy Metal also if AOR is as correct as a genre. Borderline case, it is!!!
In fact the songs are very melodic but with extreme power. Not because "Standing On Fire" present a pure Trad Metal solo this song is puire Trad Metal and not because "Break Your Chains" is AOR in sound and structure this song is AOR. This is due because of a production and a mix that places heavy emphasis on power, which I like very much. This album was good in Class Metal, I think, because I see strong connection with Magnum. But at the end one song as "I'll Be Waiting" is a great song in 80's way of Class Metal. But Class Metal is not proper a genre. So Trad Metal is good and appropriate genre for me. In a great substance if you insert Blues this album sound as a melodic version of Whitesnake's "Saints An' Sinners", at least in my head.
Speaking of music: aggressive guitar with parts written for feeling and emotions in first plan. Extremely AOR vocal parts (with great refrains and bluesy vocal timbral), tons of synths/ keyboards (great for this type of Heavy Metal, in general, but in this case great use of this instrument). Great ballad, extremely close to AOR (because power ballads) as in the case of "Just Between Us".
When I put this album I sweat cold to assign the correct genre. Another point of discussuion in my mind are the songs as "System Of Power" or "Women, Whiskey & Song", bluesy song... Hard Rock songs. And in Wikipedia this is the genre assigned to Talisman. For me Talisman is a full Heavy Metal band (but I've only this album... Also I heard other Talismn songs). Also "Queen" is in the same way (but this for me is synonymous with Class Metal due to aggressive guitar and elevate speed of song rhythm in a bluesy style writing).
In a great substance: If you love Hard Rock alisman is your band (and album). If you love AOR (and Class metal) Talisman is your band (and album) and if you love Trad Metal Talisman is your band (and album).