Fifth Angel's entire disappointing career can be summed up in two words: "lowered expectations." Rarely has group of such talented musicians so debased its individual abilities in the pursuit of commercial acceptance.

Underneath the mundane arrangements, pedestrian chord voicings, and exaggeratedly glossy finish applied to their albums, particularly 1989's sophomore Time Will Tell, lies a highly accomplished heavy metal band desperate to break free of its record company (and self-imposed) shackles and actually risk something...anything! But they never did, and instead of emulating the highbrow metal approach of their successful Seattle brethren Queensrÿche (clearly their intention), Fifth Angel more often resembles L.A.

also-rans Dokken -- and an often less impressive version of Dokken at that.

Ouch! Even when they launch off aggressive staccato riffs and made-to-order pop-metal anthems like "Midnight Love," "Wait for Me," and the preposterously corny "We Rule," they infallibly collapse into clichéd moves and intolerably cheesy choruses.

Even their faithful cover of UFO's classic "Lights Out" is sanitized beyond redemption, its fierce energy squandered by -- you guessed it -- lowered expectations.

A few exceptions worth noting: "Broken Dreams" is given a very beautiful acoustic introduction, "Angel of Mercy" rocks out rather convincingly, and, by the era's standards, "So Long" is a pleasantly well-executed power ballad.

Unfortunately, these are hardly capable of salvaging Time Will Tell from its general morass, and few were surprised when Fifth Angel faded into oblivion after its release.