Album Review: PAIN OF SALVATION Panther (8/28)

 

Released by Inside Out Music on August 28th, 2020

Quick Background

Pain of Salvation is a Swedish progressive metal band led by Daniel Gildenlöw, who is the band's main songwriter, lyricist, guitarist, and vocalist. The band has been thought too many line-up changes to count. Pain of Salvation's sound is characterized by oscillation between heavy and calm passages, complex vocal harmonies and song structures. The band’s first studio album “Entropia” was released in 1997. “Remedy Lane”, released in 2002,  is perhaps the definitive album from the band, hailed as an absolute masterpiece by many. I personally don't know their discography inside out, no pun intended, but I have some of their better albums and I thought the previous release, In The Passing Light Of Day, was a very good album, actually a top 10 album of my 2017's list. So I'm eager to see what Panther has to offer.

Panther

The 11th studio album and the follow-up to 2017’s In The Passing Light Of Day, Panther was recorded, mixed and produced by Daniel Gildenlöw with Daniel Bergstrand (In Flames, Meshuggah, Devin Townsend) and comes with a comprehensive artwork-theme with illustrations made by André Meister. The theme of the album is people who feel that they are going through life at a different speed than our contexts and surroundings. Panthers in a dog’s world. The album features 9 new tracks in 54 minutes and opens with the single "Accelerator". This song did not help me getting into this album. The drums give the feeling of being programmed (as the band wanted) and the keys also project the electronic music flavor, not to mention the whining singing. Is it a bad song? Not really, but it doesn't interests me. It's certainly better than the title track which I can't listen to. It's awful,  Daniel Gildenlöw is raping, it could be a Limp Bizkit song. Nuf said. "Restless Boy" is not much better as it is also too electronic/industrial for my taste.

On the bright side, there are some good moments in Panther. "Unfuture" despite having the electronic flavor as well is more organic and features a better drum sound, a cool acoustic guitar and even heavier electric guitars (which is a rarity in Panther), and the vocals also show more energy. The one cool thing about Panther is the use of several different instruments and sounds, those not always work, but a few do. For example, the piano intro and acoustic guitar solo on "Wait" are just great. This 7-min song is one of my favorites. The short instrumental "Fur" also brings a new and different flavor. Another highlight for me is "Species", I like the lyrics and how dynamic the song is with some of the heaviest moments on the album. As usually, the album closes with an epic, in this case the 13 minute emotional "Icon". It's also a song that uses more guitars, including a guitar solo that reminds me of the solo on Let it Be, very nice touch! "Icon" brought strong emotions and a deeper connection with me. In other words, it worked like earlier albums.  

While I didn't like the sound of the drums, the dynamic production has its merits and it generates this 3D / spacial nice moments when listening on headphones. 

The Picky Guy

My main problem with Panther is the lack of guitars and the intense influence of electronic/pop music. The production, specially, the loop/programmed drums feeling, didn't help. The man bun on the promo pictures doesn't do me any favors getting eager to listen to Panther either. But at least is not on the cover.

Wrap Up Opinion 

In The Passing Light Of Day set the bar too high, and Panther could not live up to the expectation. Now, I am not saying that Panther is a bad album per se, but,in many moments, it's definitely not my cup of tea. The good moments as described did not fully compensate for the songs that I disliked or the choices that annoyed me, mainly the emphasis on electronics over guitars and certainly the title track with rapping. And a great song like the closer  "Icon" only let me with the feeling of "I want more of that and not the other stuff". So much so that I am giving Panther 74/100 meaning a mixed review. With that said, Panther is definitely a grower and an album that can work for those who won't be bothered by the intense use of electronic/pop music elements. 

SCORE: 74/100
Genre: Progressive Rock
Released by Inside Out Music on August 28th, 2020

Rating System*
99 - 100 Perfect
94 - 98 Excellent
87 - 93 Great
82 - 86 Very Good
77 - 81 Good
66 - 76 Mixed
58 - 65 Bad

* slightly adapted on May 24th, 2020 due to statistical review
wordcount = 741

Album Review: UNLEASH THE ARCHERS Abyss (8/21)

 

Released by Napalm Records on August 21st, 2020

Quick Background

Unleash The Archers is a Canadian melodic power metal quartet with influences of traditional heavy metal and melodic death metal. They released two independent albums in 2009 and 2011 and then two albums with Napalm Records. The latest being Apex in 2017. Apex is a good album that was well received and it was my introduction to the band. The only original members left are Brittney Slayes (Vocals) and Scott Buchanan (Drums). But the guitar players Grant Truesdell and Andrew Kingsley have been with the band since 2015's Napalm Records debut Time Stands Still. A bassist is not featured in the official lineup. 

Abyss

Less than a year after the release of their covers EP Explorers, UTA are back with Abyss, their 5th album featuring 10 new tracks just under one hour. Abyss is a concept album and sequel to 2017’s Apex. "Waking Dream" opens the album, it's a slow intro type of song but it takes too long for an intro, it is almost 4 minutes! I'd be perfectly happy if the album would directly start with the title track. This near seven-minute bombastic piece already features over one minute of a cool instrumental intro with screens and 'oh oh' and 'hey hey', that will work very well live. It would've been a better album opener and it was the right choice for the first single as it also set the tone for the whole record. In Abyss, UTA combines traditional heavy metal with power metal centered around frontwoman Brittney Slayes' raw four octave mezzo-soprano. There's a bit of melodic death metal here and there. It could be a turn-off for some that the next two songs are mid-tempo and less aggressive. With that said, I like the melodic approach of "Through Stars". "Legacy" arpeggios and overall mood reminds me of early Symphony X. Both songs feature great melodic guitar solos, which is a highlight in the whole album.

It's not until track #5 "Return to Me" that we get some blacked death growls. Together with "Faster Than Light", those are the most aggressive songs on the album. It's also when finally Slayes uses her potential and sings dynamically using her range. During most of the other songs she remains very confined in a limited range. It's a missed opportunity. Now, there's also a lot of "oh oh oh" throughout the album, it gets a bit repetitive and boring. The epic “The Wind That Shapes The Land” features some of the best riffs and explores more confidently the use of death screams. It's a more adventurous song with good dynamics and variability. The same can be said of the album closer “Afterlife". 

Abyss was once again recorded with legendary producer Jacob Hansen of Hansen Studios in Denmark. Overall the album sounds great with the exception of the bass.

The Picky Guy

Similarly to other recent albums in traditional metal/power metal genre, Abyss feels too safe. No risks were taken, not even to explore in full their strong points such as Slayes' voice and the guttural vocal approach that both guitar players can offer. I'd think the band should either drop the death metal elements or fully incorporate it. In this album it's kind of half-baked. In addition to that, the album is very mid tempo and lacks the broader aggression of previous releases. Musically we could use more hooks, heavy riffs and a bass player.  

Wrap Up Opinion 

Despite some missteps, there are enough good songs in Abyss to make it worthwhile. Fans of the band will find something to enjoy here even if it won't bring the same satisfaction Apex did. There are also 'easy to enjoy' songs to capture some new fans. In sum, I'm giving Apex 78/100, the positives still outweighed the negatives and I consider it a good album worth exploring.

SCORE: 78/100
Genre: Power Metal
Released by Napalm Records on August 21st, 2020

Rating System*
99 - 100 Perfect
94 - 98 Excellent
87 - 93 Great
82 - 86 Very Good
77 - 81 Good
66 - 76 Mixed
58 - 65 Bad

* slightly adapted on May 24th, 2020 due to statistical review
wordcount = 636

12 Iron Maiden Deep Cuts Worth Checking

The first four songs on this list are not on Spotify. Songs 5 and 6 are but only the studio versions. The other 6 are and for benchmarking, I added the play count of each and compared to the count of The Trooper which is the most popular Maiden song on Spotify.

"Cross-Eyed Mary" from The Trooper B-side (1983)
This Jethro Tull song is obviously a great song from the landmark album Aqualung. But Maiden was able to Maidenize it and make it a metal jewel. The real highlight that makes it so special is Bruce's performance. I believe during the chorus he reaches some of his higher notes ever recorded on this one. Absolutely fantastic. It's my favorite cover song of all times.

"Burning Ambition" from Running Free B-Side (1980)

"Burning Ambition" was recorded in November 1979 as a 4-piece band just prior to hiring Dennis Stratton & Clive Burr. It is one of the few recordings to feature Doug Sampson on drums. It is one of Harris' earliest compositions. The song did not appear on an album until it was included in the Best of the 'B' Sides compilation, released as part of the Eddie's Archive Boxset, and was featured in the soundtrack of The History of Iron Maiden – Part 1: The Early Days DVD documentary. I wanted to include at least one of Paul Di'Anno's songs and while not an amazing song, it's already pretty impressive given how young Steve was. With that said, it sounds very similar to other songs from the first two album. It's worth checking. 

"I've Got the Fire" from Flight of Icarus B-side (1983)

This is a cover of the song "I Got the Fire" from the Montrose album Paper Money. Iron Maiden originally released a live cover of the song during the Paul Di'Anno era, on 1980 single, "Sanctuary", however this version features Bruce Dickinson on vocals and is a studio production. It's a killer song which originally is more a bluesy hard rock. But Maiden completely metalized with soaring guitars, Nicko groove and with Bruce again breaking everything (actually the final scream sounds a lot like the one in the "Flight of Icarus"). 

"Total Eclipse" from Run to the Hills B-side (1982)

"Total Eclipse" sounds so much like a classic Maiden song. It was really a mistake to leave it out of 1982's The Number of the Beast. (an opinion that both Bruce and Steve share and some CD editions of the album features it). It's a short and straightforward song. The intro chords followed by a guitar riff and then the build up drum fill is fantastic. By the way, similar intro was used in 2000's Brave New World title track. The song follows with an interesting structure and Bruce's soaring vocals. Another highlight is the bridge after the guitar solo, slow tempo and with Bruce reaching for the high notes.

"Charlotte the Harlot '88" from The Evil That Men Do B-side (1988)

The prequel to "22 Acacia Avenue", "Charlotte the Harlot" is a great song from the debut album. That's already a deep cut which was played on that tour and almost never again. It's the only Maiden song credited to Dave Murray alone. I love the song groove and how it changes completely with the slow bridge before exploding into the guitar solo. It also closes extremely well by returning to the intro riff. And this studio version with Bruce is pure awesomeness.

Spotify Play Count (studio version): 3,152,502 or 1.9% of The Trooper

"The Assassin (live)" from Wasting Love B-side (1992)

1990's No Prayer for the Dying is another often overlooked album. And there are several good and some great songs in there. "The Assassin" being one of my favorites and not very talked about. It was played live during that tour and a live recording is found in the Wasting Love single from 1992. I think it's a powerful song, it has that era vibe but it holds up against some of the more well-known songs. It brings back some elements from the first albums (like the gang vocals) and I just love how Bruce sings the chorus.

Spotify Play Count (studio version): 993,541 or  0.6% of The Trooper

"Lord Of The Flies" from Death On the Road (2005)

"Lord of the Flies" is one of the best songs of the underrated The X Factor and when I saw it live with Bruce I went crazy. The way Bruce sings the bridge and specially the first chorus is ridiculous. It's even more impressive after the guitar solo, when he sings first with a lower registry just before exploding with the high notes. What an interpretation! I also like the live mix with 3 guitars. In sum, this version is as good any classic Maiden song. Goosebumps.

Spotify Play Count: 631,647 or 0.4% of The Trooper

"Blood On The World's Hands"  from  The X Factor (1995)  

The intro—acoustic bass solo by itself is already worth to listen to this hidden jewel. A song writing choice that Steve hasn't used much. The closest to it previously was 1981's "Innocent Exile" and recently "Red and The Black" intro is very similar. This is track number 8 of an album overlooked by most Maiden fans. It was played live during the Blazey era but never again, so to me it's a very deep cut. A live version was released with the single The Angel & The Gambler. Overall it's a great song. The verse vocal melody is pretty cool and also the guitar chord progression during the chorus. It's a song (like most of the album) designed for Blazey's vocals, so it works. 

Spotify Play Count: 668,801 or 0.4% of The Trooper

"Quest for Fire" from Piece of Mind (1983)

On the B side of the massive 1983's Piece of Mind, Harris' Quest for Fire follows a great sequence of 5 classic Maiden songs. Probably for that reason it has never been played live. But still it's a crime to overlook it. First, the intro riff is really cool and it may have been written close to The Trooper's because it's very similar. Second, Bruce delivers in the first verse what is probably his highest note on record. It's impressive. Other than that it's just a very consistent song with the rest of the album. 

Spotify Play Count: 2,862,003 or 1.7% of The Trooper

"The Prophecy" from  Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (1998)

I remember when this album came out, I was surprised that "The Prophecy" didn't make it to the setlist of that tour (and it has never been played live). They should've played the whole album as it is a concept album and one of their best. Anyways, that's to say how much I like it. Never played live and on the B side of the album, many may not have given it the due credit. The slow and quiet intro is beautiful and sets the mood just before exploding with a powerful guitar and bass duo riff. The structure is very simple, verse/bridge/chorus then solos plus riffs and repeat. Now, how the solo finishes giving space to Bruce to start the verse 2 is so amazing. Then there's the catchy verse, and an amazing bridge. In fact, it's a very unique bridge. Bruce sings it with at least 3 tracks, alternating voices and juxtaposing lyrics, it's fantastic. It also closes with the acoustic beautiful arpeggio, similar to the intro, so good.

Spotify Play Count: 2,996,355 or 1.8% of The Trooper

"Deja - Vu" from Somewhere in Time (1986)

From my favorite Maiden album, "Deja-vu" is such a great song. From the slow intro, almost like 1983's "Still Life", to the catchy two part chorus, and several guitar duos, the song exemplifies the whole album. But for some reason it doesn't get the needed attention and it has never been played live.

Spotify Play Count: 3293867 or 2.0% of The Trooper

"Isle of Avalon" from The Final Frontier (2010)

The Final Frontier tour was probably the only one I could go but didn't since 1992. One of the reasons was because some of my favorite songs from the album were not on the setlist, most notably Isle of Avalon. I liked this 9-min song from the first time I heard it. The almost 3-min build up part with the 3 guitars and Steve's bass is just great. And it culminates with Bruce screaming  "I can't hear you" before entering the powerful verse. Luckily we get the same build up after the solo. The whole song structure and melody is just fantastic. 

Spotify Play Count: 2,112,748 or 1.3% of The Trooper

Album Review: TERRA ATLANTICA Age of Steam (8/14)

 

Released by Pride & Joy Music on August 14th, 2020

Quick Background

Terra Atlantica is a German power metal band founded in 2014 by singer Tristan Harders (vocals, guitars) and drummer Nico Hauschildt. The debut record, A City Once Divine, was released in 2017. The current line-up is completed by Julian Prüfer (bass) and Frederik Akkermann (guitars).

Terra Atlantica makes bombastic power metal with catchy choruses and epic orchestration, combining elements of Helloween, Edguy, Hammerfall and Rhapsody. 

Age of Steam

Age of Steam is now the second album continuing a fictional story of Atlantis in the 19th century. It features an intro song "Rebirth 1815" and then 10 tracks totaling 54 minutes. For seasoned power metal fans, Age of Steam will sound very familiar. It uses all the formulas and cliches of the genre. To Terra Atlantica's merit, they were able to create good songs out of the well known power metal blueprint: Catchy choruses, multiple backing vocals, sing-along melodies and epic orchestration. There's the usual instrumental short intro and the mandatory ballad. In this case the ballad "Believe In the Dawn" doesn't help but also doesn't hurt the album. It's rather progressive with good arrangements and a nice melodic guitar solo. It's almost 6 min and still you can get through it without big problems. But it will sound like you've heard it before. There's also the usual longest song as closer, in this case the rather boring 8-minute "Until the Morning Sun Appears". 

To  Terra Atlantica's credit, Age of Steam is a well-designed album. There are some ups and downs but songs are strategically placed and you can go through the almost one hour easily. For example, three potential single tracks under 5 min front loading the album to get it started with energy and pumping fists. Those are god fast tempo songs. The album opener "Across the Sea of Time". The first single and title track which features a basic chorus repeating the song title four times and also adding some 'oh oh oh'. So It's simple but it's fun. And also one of my favorites, the very catchy and cheesy  "Mermaids' Isle". And take it as a compliment, it sounds like Ghost, so you know it will get you moving and singing. The very symphonic single "Forces of the Oceans, Unite!" will get you marching into wherever they want us to go fighting in the best Rhapsody style. 

In most of the songs, the well executed use of twin and fast picking guitars are pure Helloween style. The drumming is also good and reminds me of Blind Guardian. It's difficult to hear the bass, so not a highlight. The one notable exception is the song "Gates of the Netherrealm" which together with "Rage of the Atlantica War" (the third and second to last songs) are the two best ones in terms of song structure and technical proficiency. The first features cool baselines, instrumental passages, and nice arrangements. The second, it's a heavier, riffier song  and also with cool instrumental passages in addiction to a nice guitar solo over clean chugging guitars. The cherry on the cake is the Amon Amarth-like singing. Unfortunately it is way too short, I think their music would benefit a lot from this singing dynamic.

The Picky Guy

Putting all the cliches aside and the lack of originality, the one thing I don't like so much is the overuse of backing vocals in almost all choruses. I also wish the vocals were a bit more potent and dynamic. It's very mid-rangy. "Quest into the Sky" for example demanded more aggressive high pitched screams. The fact that "Rage of the Atlantica War" introduced the death growls to it shows to me how much more they would benefit from a more dynamic and versatile vocal approach.  

Wrap Up Opinion 

Put it simply, Age of Steam is OK. If you are into power metal, it's fun and easy to listen. I tend to be overly critical to power metal bands, specially when the band has a potential. So don't get discourage by some of the criticisms. I do hope they will fine-tune their style and find their own sound because they have the passion for it. But they need to take some risks and make better choices. As an OK album, I'm giving Age of Steam 78/100. While I had a good time with it, I don't see myself coming back to it. Power metal fans if not bothered by the lack of originality, will certainly dig this one. 

SCORE: 78/100
Genre: Power Metal
Released by Pride & Joy Music on August 14th, 2020

Rating System*
99 - 100 Perfect
94 - 98 Excellent
87 - 93 Great
82 - 86 Very Good
77 - 81 Good
66 - 76 Mixed
58 - 65 Bad

* slightly adapted on May 24th, 2020 due to statistical review
wordcount = 723

Album Review: BLACK CROWN INITIATE Violent Portraits of Doomed Escape (8/7)

Released by Century Media Records on August 7th, 2020

Quick Background

Black Crown Initiate (BCI) is a progressive death metal group from Pennsylvania. Prior to 2020, they released 2014's The Wreckage of Stars and 2016's Selves We Cannot Forgive. Both were very well received by most critics. I personally don't know the debut very well but the second one is a very good album that was on my top 10 2016's year-end list. The current line-up is the original vocalist James Dorton, guitarist & clean voice Andy Thomas, and bassist Nick Shaw. Additionally the guitarist Ethan McKenna who joined in 2018. They don't have an official drummer. But Gabe Seeber (The Kennedy Veil / Tech Death Metal) recorded the new album. 

Violent Portraits of Doomed Escape

After 4 years of wait, BCI is bringing their latest effort, Violent Portraits of Doomed Escape. From the get go I liked the structure of the album. 9 songs in 51 minutes, pretty concise. Two of those are short instrumentals: Tracks #5 and the last one #9. I like this also because it breaks the album into two parts. It is a nice parallel to the album cover with the two kings' heads depicting a version of a King of Hearts card. Also good points here for the very nice artwork. While the songs are relatively long, they never go above 8 minutes. It makes VPoDE not so difficult to digest for a prog album while still giving a lot of room for solos, instrumental interludes and experimentation without being excessive. 

The first minute of "Invitation" serves as the album intro, clean vocals over an acoustic guitar. The contrast with the second verse is shocking. When I heard it for the first time, it really made an impact. We went from Genesis-like to Behemoth-like in just over a minute. Those first minutes are already a good sample of the album ahead. It's very dynamic, progressive, heavy at times but also atmospheric and elegante at other moments. It mixes aggression and melody very well. 

A highlight for is the guitar work. In that case, not only the album title resembles Meshuggah (Violent Sleep of Reason) but also the fantastic guitarwork as well. Speaking of guitars, we are blessed with some very strong guitar solos. The one in the opening track "Invitation" (followed by an acoustic interlude, only enhances the experience) and another one on “Holy Silence” are two of my favorites.  

"Years in Frigid Light" was the first single from November 2019 as a demo, but after playing the song live they perfected it and this version is fantastic. It features a very cool guitar tone and a super catchy chorus contrasting with the aggressive death metal vocals. It's almost like a song from the previous album on steroids.  "Son of War" slows things down to a haunting mood, it's a nice short song. What I found very interesting was the clean vocals reminding me a lot of Mastodon's Brann Dailor voice (which is a compliment in my book). It's a very melodic and catchy chorus. A feature that re occur at several moments in the album. Also at display here are the abilities of the session drummer Gabe Seeber.  Fantastic performance on this album. 

The instrumental (for a lack of a better word, because it actually sounds like an annoyed  primate screaming) "Below" serves as a moment to catch your breath before the second half deliver yet 3 more  songs. Additionally, there are several passages where BCI slows down a bit and focus more on their more atmospheric aspects. Usually not for a full song, but in some intros and interludes (e.g. "Trauma Bonds" or "Death Comes in Reverse", but all over the album really). 

"Holy Silence" brings the album to a close in style as it is one of the best in the album. It features some of the most aggressive moments and a fantastic guitar solo. Here the death growls go more into Between the Buried and Me mode. Which reminds me to mention that even the death metal vocals from James Dorton are dynamic and he can sound anywhere from Behemoth's Nergal to Between the Buried and Me's Tommy Rogers.

Overall, I like the production, it's modern and clear, the drums sound great and the bass is usually clear in the mix. The use of acoustic guitars also worked well. There are some interesting movements when listening on headphones, so I recommend that. 

The Picky Guy

I don't really have any major complains if I'd pick a couple things would be that sometimes the transitions were very abrupt which disturbed the flow a bit. The second little thing is that there's a bit too much atmospheric or clean passages, maybe some songs could exist without them or be on a bit faster tempo. In that sense "Death Comes in Reverse" is one song that didn't really appeal to me.

Wrap Up Opinion 

BCI fans will dig this album as it is not a big departure from the previous records while having its own character. Regarding new fans, I believe it will have greater appeal to the prog fans than to the death metal ones. That's because there's a lot of clean vocals, atmospheric and melodic passages. For me that works and Violent Portraits of Doomed Escape is one of the best prog album of 2020 and at par with the previous releases. As a very good album, I'm giving it 83/100. If you want a class on moder prog-metal, give it a try.

SCORE: 83/100
Genre: Progressive Death Metal
Released by Century Media Records on August 7th, 2020

Rating System*
99 - 100 Perfect
94 - 98 Excellent
87 - 93 Great
82 - 86 Very Good
77 - 81 Good
66 - 76 Mixed
58 - 65 Bad

* slightly adapted on May 24th, 2020 due to statistical review
wordcount = 913

Album Review: HIGH SPIRITS Hard to Stop (7/31)

High Spirits is the heavy metal / hard rock outfit from multi-instrumentalist Chris “The Professor” Black. The first album was a compilation and it was released in 2009. Chris Black  basically does everything. According to him 'The idea was to start a musical project that was entirely based on songs. No band members, no gigs, no photos, no artwork, and barely a logo.'  But later on he decided to have a live band. High Spirits makes high energy hard rock, sometimes borderline power metal. I had actually never heard of them, but it was the only album this week that had any appeal to me, so I decided to give it a try.

Hard To Stop is High Spirits’ fifth full-length studio album following 2016's Motivator. It's a straightforward heavy metal album: No ballads, no complicated arrangements, or exotic instruments. Just 35 minutes of good and fun heavy metal. The longest song is 5 minutes. It's a perfect soundtrack for a summer festival. Even without knowing the songs, they all sound familiar and easy to follow. When I heard the first song, "Since You've Been Gone" I thought it was a Rainbow cover. Not only the title is almost identical, the voice sounds similar and so does the chorus. It's one of the most power metal songs on the album. There's also a lot of Maidenisms, for example the guitars on "Hearts Will Burn" are very similar to "Transylvania". But the album is also diverse, there's for example a punk-ish rock song "Now I Know". Some of my favorite tracks are "Restless" with cool drumming and fast pace, but also here I kept waiting for 'and wild' after 'restless' is sang during the chorus. The groovy "Face to Face", the AOR "Voice in the Wind" and the catchy "Midnight Sun". 

My main issue with this album is that it sounds a bit half-pregnant to me. It wants to be power metal, but didn't quite go all the way there. That's probably because of the vocals. They sound strained and at the range limit. It reminds me of early Stratovarius before singer Timo Kotipelto joined.

Overall, everything is OK with High Spirits’ Hard To Stop, but that's also the problem, nothing really stands out. So, yes it's fun and if they were in a festival or opening for another band, I'd certainly watch them and have fun. For those looking for traditional metal good albums, that's a safe bet and there's not much else coming out these days anyway.

SCORE: 77/100
Genre: Heavy Metal
Released by High Roller Records on July 31st, 2020

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Rating System*
99 - 100 Perfect
94 - 98 Excellent
87 - 93 Great
82 - 86 Very Good
77 - 81 Good
66 - 76 Mixed
58 - 65 Bad

* slightly adapted on May 24th, 2020 due to statistical review
wordcount = 418