Here's a review from Dynamite Metal

PRAYING MANTIS - NOWHERE TO HIDE (A) Now & Then/Frontiers, 2000 10 tracks, RT: 60:27
[ http://www.nowandthen.co.uk ]
[ http://www.frontiers.it ]
[ info@frontiers.it ]
This arrived with a ton of other Now & Then/Frontiers releases and, for whatever reason, I put it at the bottom of the "listen to" pile. Mistake. This thing kicks big ass and I'm still surprised at how much I like it. Praying Mantis has been around in one form or another for decades, and I just never really heard them. Some big names (Gary Barden, Paul Di'Anno) have come and gone, and ex-Iron Maiden guitarist Dennis Stratton has now been with them for 10 years. This is their second consecutive album with a stable lineup. (As an aside, I find it odd they're considered a NWOBHM band when they only released one album and a few singles during the '80s!) Can we call this "power AOR?" It's more dynamic and exciting than garden-variety AOR, but it's just a hair shy (and sweet) to be called metal. Stratton and Tino Troy lay down slick, pro-quality guitar work everywhere, and Chris Troy's ultra-grooving bass lines are phenomenal. Why haven't I heard of this guy before??? He smokes! Vocalist Tony O'Hora is crisp, clear, and clean, and he's a perfect match for this Hardline-meets-Magnum sound. I guess another way to describe the kinda pompy goings-on would be "a less overblown Ten." Make any sense yet??? No? Then just go with the "power AOR" tag. Yes, the songs average out to 6:00 each, so these definitely aren't 3:30 summertime fluff songs, but they're hooky, rockin', and full of *monumental* layered choruses just the same. Stratton's unashamedly uplifting "Future Of The World" is an absolute monster, and "Cruel Winter," the title track, and "S.O.S." are other standouts. Also of particular importance is the bonus track on the North American and European versions, Tino Troy's "Naked." It's a moving tribute to his late daughter--and the amazing thing is, despite the circumstances surrounding the song's genesis, it still manages to get you moving in a positive way. To put it simply, this is a great album. - Tim

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