Hmm… given the album title, company, country of origin and track titles, I sort of knew what to expect, but in all truth I wasn’t expecting it to be delivered with such aplomb.
Epic power metal that feels as if someone mixed Enforcer with Manowar with slightly more straightforward songwriting that feels a little like Hammerfall at their “heaviest” with a bit more shouting and ear splitting falsettos than it should be legal.
They’ve not discovered the wheel and they’re not the heirs to Manowar’s throne – not even close, but they might be somewhat better from the half arsed Manowar of the last few years (“The Lord of Steel” and onwards).
If you’re in the mood for randomly epic titles, shouts about metal in the night, fighting with steel and all that shtick, these guys deliver exactly that, with great conviction.
I sort of enjoyed, songs like “We Burn”, “Men at Arms” and probably “Demon Fire”, but despite the band trying their best – to vary up the songs… it ends up being a little too formulaic. Your resilience to the style might vary, as well as the mileage with this particular bunch.
While they tick all the right boxes for “true metal” fans I have graduated that face many years ago, seeking more complex arrangements, heavier and more complex solos… I suppose thrashing power metal. I can recognize a fine example, but while a younger me might have felt excited by a band like Stromburner, the older me feels sympathetic towards them, but I don’t think they’d earn the proverbial cigar, despite coming close to what they should be.
Depending on personal preferences, you might like this more than I did… so I suppose listen to a couple of songs and proceed only if your blade is sharpened and your furry underwear unsoiled.
(7,5/10)
Read the review at Grande Rock