Historically speaking, I think the main reason our esteemed AMG hired me, the ever humble Steel Druhm, as a reviewer/minion [I prefer the term "bitch," actually - AMG] was to make me the resident power and traditional metal nerd (my amazing prose and rugged good looks didn’t hurt none either). While I’m predisposed to drool over most old school stuff (cause I’m old), I’m actually quite the elitist snob when it comes to power metal. There’s some good in that genre, but there are way more generic, bad and monumentally awful things lurking in the ether. Case in point, I’ve had a love/hate/meh relationship with Iron Fire over the years. Their Thunderstorm debut was decent and moderately rabble rousing, but things have been inconsistent since then and their discography reads like the good, the bad and the WTF? After being unmoved by their past few releases, I hoped for more from their seventh release, Voyage of the Damned. Turns out, I heartily appreciate the new lyrical slant toward outer space themes, as it’s a nice diversion from the usual “dragon ate my wizard’s maiden” schtick. It’s also safe to say, this is much better than expected and it slowly won me over, despite initial doubts. Roping in elements of Gamma Ray, Stratovarius, Grave Digger and Metalium, this features some highly enjoyable  Euro-power with some surprisingly heavy moments. It also delivers far less generic freight than past Iron Fire shipments. While not exactly a “must hear” album, Voyage ends up being a solid release from a band with a spotty track record. 

Opener “Enter Oblivion OJ-666″ (O.J. Simpson?) is a tried-and-true Euro stomper with zippy double base, energetic riffing, glossy keys and the familiar vocal stylings of Martin Steene. The chorus is big and uplifting and Steene channels Bruce Dickinison in his delivery thereof. It’s good stuff and highly worthwhile. Other noteworthy ditties include the addictive and interestingly heavy approach of ”Slaughter of Souls” (replete with death roars from David Ingram of Bolt Thrower), the blend of pompous and brutal in “Leviathan” and the gritty Tad Morose stylings of “Dreams of the Dead Moon” and “Verge to Collide.” A guilty pleasure worth mentioning is the superbly overwrought power ballad “The Final Odyssey,” which comes across like a mash-up of Queensryche‘s “Screaming in Digital” and “The Final Countdown” by AMG’s much beloved Europe (kindly enjoy the Captain Kirk delivery of lines like “I can’t… compute”). While the ten-minute-plus title track underwhelmed at first, it did grow on me with repeated listens. That said, it does too little over too long a duration to justify the length. Elsewhere, “With Different Eyes,” while not bad, doesn’t really hold my interest.

What makes this material work is the straight forward nature of the delivery. It’s heavier than most power metal these days and the riffs often have real heft and punch. While there’s plenty of keyboard work scattered about, it doesn’t make the music sound as if it should be wearing a pink tutu. Steene’s delivery has been too nasal for me in the past, but he sounds mighty fine here and shows some real versatility as well. Sometimes he sports a Dickinsonian flair, other times he uses a rough, raspy delivery reminiscient of Urban Breed (ex-Tad Morose/ex-Bloodbound) or Nils Patrik Johansson (Wuthering Heights/Astral Doors). At times it actually sounds like one or both of them are singing along with him. The death vox add some interesting flair as well. They’re worked into the songs well, in much the same way as on Threshold‘s “Slipstream,” and they add an extra layer of grit and baddassery.

This was an unexpected surprise from a band I’d all but written off and consigned to irrelevance. While it likely won’t convert anyone to power metal wonkhood, it’s well done, well-written stuff with a few sincere attempts at originality. In a genre rife with fluff, fruit and frill, this comes as a welcome dose of actual power and actual metal, with no dragons anywhere in sight (except maybe on the cover… dammit! [That's a sandworm, dude. C'mon. AMG]). Well, you gotta keep the LARPers happy, I guess.

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Songs like the driving, powerhouse title track go right for the throat with galloping, infectious riff mania not unlike classic Running Wild (viking pirate metal makes sense, right? [Actually, since vikings were basically pirates, it makes a lot of sense. They just weren't your classic British variety which is what most of the "pirate metal" is based on. - Angry Metal History Professor]). The energetic riffing leads into a BIG, beer stein swinging chorus, making use of both clean and black vocals to great effect. There are so many hooky guitar parts in this song alone, its like an ale-soaked ticket to Air Guitar City. Ditties like “Chorus of Steel” (mega-riffing, nifty solo at 3:06), “Wolves of Prayer” (epic chorus) and “Doomsday Dawns” (impressive guitar-work throughout and enormous chorus) are all instantly likeable and feel refreshingly interesting. Whether they opt for a more folky sound, as on the excellent ”Up High,” or more straight-up blackened thrash like “Spears of Faith,” they really nail it and things always come together in an engaging way. All the songs have memorable moments, riff-tastic segments and interesting vocals of varying colors. This thing smokes all the way through.

As with prior Forefather releases, the guitars of brothers Wulfstan and Athelstan are the keys to their conquest. Regardless of the speed or style they adopt, they churn out rockin, accessible riff patterns and more than a few winning solos. Likewise, they both get the job done vocally, taking turns with black rasps and cleaner, epic style vox. Most of the songs have LARGE and memorable choruses meant to get the fists in the air and the horns raised. Though it seems they employ a drum machine (which is never a good idea), it doesn’t ruin things for me and even Thor would agree, this stuff still sounds great (and you know Thor is an expert at percussion).

I loved Forefather‘s 2008 Steadfast opus (“Cween of the Mark” is one of my all time favorite songs) and this is right up there quality-wise. Its an album loaded with winningly addictive viking tunes, scads of wicked guitar melodies and fun noodling (effectively out-Croming the mighty Crom for epic music in 2011). Songwriting is at a premium and they have a unique charm that will keep you coming back for more. I’ve no clue why these guys aren’t bigger but regardless, don’t miss this thing you might have missed. Hail the brothers Stan and respect your Forefather!

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Anthems baby, fucking ANTHEMS!! That’s what Primal Fear has been churning out since ’98 and that’s probably what they’ll keep churning out ’til they die (old metalheads never really die, they just become classic rock). While they began life as Germanic Judas Priest clones (mostly due to the Halford-esque vocal stylings of mega-voice Ralf Scheepers [Sheeples? - AMG]), they slowly evolved into their own sound, merging classic Priest, Maiden and Saxon influences with europower metal like Iron Savior and Gamma Ray (Ralf’s former band). In the process, they’ve become one of the most dependable, consistent stars in the heavy metal galaxy, releasing mindlessly enjoyable, rockin albums with moments of sheer metallic brilliance (basically, they’re the AC/DC of quasi-Judas Priest clones). Their ninth studio album, Unbreakable may be their best yet and packs one old-school, fist-in-the-air anthem after another. They know what side their bread is buttered on and they know their craft inside and out. There aren’t any surprises here beyond how catchy and consistent the songs are and the high level of classic metal enthusiasm they bring to the party. It sure ain’t proggy or forward-thinking, but this is metal-as-hell and that’s enough for Steel Druhm the Elder.

After a brief intro, things rocket off with “Strike” and it’s all Painkiller-style heavy riffing, wailing guitars and Ralf’s high register, rough but melodic singing. The vocal patterns are hooky and the dueling solos are appropriately soaring. Yes, Ralf still sounds a lot like Halford and some of these songs sound like lost tracks from the Painkiller and Defenders of the Faith sessions, but they’re good anyway, dammit! These cats have an ear for writing songs so simple, so addicting and so loaded with old-timey ethos, they become irresistable. Songs like “Bad Guys Wear Black” couldn’t be more simplistic in design but work so well, it’s perplexing. Even the chorus of “bang your head and never turn it down” doesn’t sound as silly as it should when these guys do it. That’s professionalism folks. At times, they ramp up the power metal aspects as on “And There Was Silence” and it works quite well. On “Metal Nation,” they manage a chorus so silly and cliché, Manowar themselves would point their swords at it and nod approvingly. My personal favorites are “Where Angel Die,” with its big sweeping chorus, and the title track, with a chorus that contains nearly every metal watch word (fist, fire, heaven, hell, fight, demons, war, etc.). Check it, they’re all there (*Manowar still nodding*)! Even the mandatory power-ballad “Born Again” works due to an manically overwrought, lighters-out chorus. Only the final track “Conviction” fails to totally grab me.

As always, Primal Fear‘s focal point is Ralf’s impressive, über-metal vocals. Ever since he wrongfully lost the Judas Priest gig to Ripper ["Talentless Hack"] Owens (insert AMG’s rapid, anti-Ripper tirade here [Yeah, that was wrong. This guy is talented, unlike Mr. Owens who is a rank amateur. - AMG]), he’s seemed bent on proving he’s more Halford than Halford and honestly, he convinces me sometimes. His voice shines here as always and his performance is the main reason Unbreakable works. Right behind him is the memorable riff and solo work by the tandem of Magnus Karlsson (Allen/Lande) and Alex Beyrodt (Silent Force, Sinner). Every track benefits from their well-crafted riff patterns and flag waving solo work. When teamed with Ralf, they became a formidable metal attack. The production is loud and clear but not so modern that it gets in the way of the old-school fun. Ralf is upfront, as one would expect, and the guitars have heft, punch and crunch.

 So, Unbreakable may be the best of the considerable Primal Fear discography. It’s a very addictive listen and I keep spinning it again and again. It is cheesy at times? Yes. Is it over-the-top? Of course. Is it a by-the-numbers heavy metal album straight from the Official Old School Metal Template™ ? Bigtime. Regardless, it’s brainless, hyper-catchy metal and sometimes that’s just what the brain (and fist) needs. Now, point your swords and nod. Ralf n’ Roll!

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To be frank with you, I wasn’t sure whether to look forward to this one or not. On the one hand, Nightwish has a hype about them that I’ve never really quite understood. While they’re a good band that has produced some good albums (this Angry Metal Guy, for example, really enjoyed Once quite a bit), the rabidity of their fanbase and the standard to which they are held has always been very surprising to me. I have literally met people who don’t listen to anything else. Apparently their songwriter and keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen (you know, the pirate from that horrible series of movies) has stalkers fans that are so hardcore about him, that they send letters to his mother to tell her that they disapprove of whom he’s dating. But honestly, I’ve never thought of the band as anything other than a pretty good, female fronted symphonic power metal band. And, well, after Dark Passion Play, I wasn’t very excited anyway. Because let’s face it. That was not a good record. So when I heard that they were releasing a movie (especially given that Tuomas is already in the movies) and a soundtrack to it, I was not excited. But Imaginaerum managed to win me over. 

Really, it starts out in a way that I don’t think I would have ever expected and started drawing me in slowly. “Taikatalvi” features Tarot vocalist Marco on a soft track that apparently translates into “Magical Winter” in English. This song—with no female vocals, some piano, a music box sound and an orchestra—sets the stage for the whole record perfectly by both building up the feeling and taking you by surprise. The surprise is important, because despite being a Nightwish record, it varies a lot more than you would expect. While it does launch into a standard record opener (in the first single from the record “Storytime”), it lets you know that this album will be a little on the unpredictable side. And surprisingly from this pop metal act—it is.

Though, don’t get me wrong. This is obviously a Nightwish record and if you’re not a fan of the style, you probably won’t like it. Though, what’s not to like? The songs are snappy, with sharpened hooks that have you singing them for days in spite of yourself. The arrangements are actually interesting and smart, the orchestrations are huuuuuge, bombastic and beautiful and the production is very good (but wow is this record LOUD—too loud, as it peaks in my speakers). And what’s good about it is that the band never settles into one thing really specifically. The songs don’t really fade into each other as can happen with certain types of records. Instead you’ve got title track pop rockers (like the aforementioned ”Storytime” and “I Want My Tears Back”), followed by mid-paced creepers like “Ghost River” and “Scaretale.” You’ve got a musical number called “Arabesque” and a kind of noir, smooth jazz(esque) track in “Slow, Love, Slow” which Anette acquits in a way that La Prima Donna never could have. Hell, you even have Celtic folk bits that sound like they should be on a Loreena McKennitt record (while breaking into a Morricone/The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly sounding whistling at the end), not a Nightwish one.

Honestly, I only have a few complaints about this record. I guess, firstly, I think Anette is kind of a weak vocalist. This is not to ignite any kind of “they should have kept Tarja” debate—because frankly, they shouldn’t have. It just seems like she only really hits her stride in the poppy choruses of these songs and sometimes she brings down songs on the softer side (Tarja was the same). Her accent gets a tad cartoonish at times (“At the end of the reeever!”), but mostly I just think she doesn’t have the same grace as someone like Helena Haaparanta, who is just such a much more dynamic and powerful performer. But this is offset by the fact that Marco and choirs are used very wisely, and Anette feels more like a part of an ensemble than La Diva. My second complaint is that the last 12 minutes are completely wasted on citing lines from the movie and then recapping the whole album as an overture (the title track “Imaginaerum”). So a record that could have ended with a bang, makes me just want to shut it off before it’s done. That’s a shame. Finally, sometimes I feel like Tuomas is quoting himself a bit much. I actually twice went back to check older records to see if “Storytime” and “Last Ride of the Day” were using similar riffs or melodies from previous records. They never did it, as far as I can tell, but they got really, really close a couple of times.

Still, Imaginaerum is a huge step above the previous record and makes it feel like Nightwish really is on top of the world again. Hell, they even have a song on here that impressed me poetically (“The Crow, the Owl, and the Dove”)—something I never thought possible. The lyrics on that track are actually bordering on really good and the performances are outstanding. On top of that, the record plays well like an original sound track and is everything you expect from Finland’s biggest pop sensation. It’s simultaneously beautiful, while introducing some heavier elements that work well and taking the orchestral presence to a new level. It’s good that these guys got the chance for a do over after the last one because it’s heads and shoulders above it.

Well played, pirate boy, well played.

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Here’s a band I bet most haven’t heard of and some actively avoided due to their “christian metal” tag. Well, its time you heard of them and stopped worrying about such silly tags. However, for those diehard, anti-christian, pagan warriors of Wotan, try replacing “christian metal” with “white metal” or “good metal.” Okay, that probably didn’t help AT ALL but the point is, Theocracy is a really good band and their third album  As The World Bleeds is an exceptional dose of progressive power metal. Once a one-man project helmed by Matt Smith, Theocracy is now a fully functioning band and these altar boys can really play! Sounding like a mash-up of Avantasia, Axenstar, Balance of Power, Eden’s Curse and Shadow Gallery, they deliver hyper-polished, super-slick, technical, proggy power with a ton of melodic hooks and a fair amount of heavy edge to boot. Songwriting is first-rate, musicianship is very impressive and heck, God will appreciate you listening to it. When was the last time you hordes of miscreants could honestly say that? Yeah, that’s what I thought, sinners! In all seriousness, this is a great power metal album, regardless of religious inclination. If you dig melodic metal, follow Steel Druhm through the desert of this review and he’ll deliver you to the Angry Promised Land.

Whether you cotton to their divine viewpoint or not, there’s no denying Theocracy have some serious brass by leading off with the longest track possible. “I Am” clocks in at a whopping eleven minutes and most bands not named Moonsorrow would be loath to challenge the listener so quickly. However, Theocracy has a guardian angel on their collective shoulder and it really works! This winding epic really draws you in and introduces you to their songwriting abilities and musicality without feeling overlong or tedious. As you would expect from such a lengthy piece, it’s dramatic, features a boatload of moods and textures and allows the band to flex their chops. What makes it work is a combination of great lyrics, excellent vocals and surprising twists and turns. Matt Smith’s vocals morph from commanding to soaring, soft and powerful as the story unfolds and it all feels natural and unforced.  The guitars are upfront, plenty heavy and scatter rich, fluid solos throughout. Song highlights include the unexpected lurch into a jaunty Irish jig-like piece at 5:20 and the progression into thrash territory as things unwind (including a cool Voivod-like stutter step thrash riff at 7:45). After the epic opener, there are brilliantly catchy, power-prog nuggets like “The Master Storyteller” (the guitars and vocals are both addicting), a sojourn into the crunchy and aggressive with “Nailed” (big chorus and insane guitar-work) and compelling guitar twists, turns and tricks on “Altar to an Unknown God” (I love the mega-cool string thingee that first pops up at 2:00).

Although this is a VERY melodic prog-power outing, there are plenty of heavy moments interspersed. Even the most mellow tracks like “The Gift of Music” and the title track eventually segue into thrash metal segments. This heavy/melodic dichotomy enhances the impact of the songs and gives them valuable metal credibility. No song is completely soft and all have diverse tempos. Matt Smith’s vocals are stellar throughout and the extensive use of vocal layering gives everything a big, rich, choral sound like late-period Savatage (but thankfully, way less Broadway jazz-handsy).  The guitar mastery of Val Allan Wood co-headlines with Smith’s vocals and the man makes those strings burn like hades fire. Every song is bursting with his big leads and inventive riff-work. The whole ensemble brings a formidable A game and this is a technically satisfying release from start to finish.

The production is crisp, clear and polished, as is the music itself. The lyrics can, at times, be a bit pious, a tad preachy and slightly judgmental but how many HAIL SATANs have you listened to this year alone? Stop drinking the Devil’s Kool-Aid and give the other side equal time, for Christ’s sake! Steel Druhm ain’t exactly the biggest church-goer in heaven’s green garden but the lyrics didn’t hamper my enjoyment of this excellent material, so they shouldn’t for you either.

These chaps have toiled away in relative obscurity for years and with As The World Bleeds, they’ve released their crowning glory (their previous two platters are also very good). This looks to be one of the best prog-power albums of 2011 and a certifiable Myrrh Record. You would be stupid to skip this because of some anti-religion mumbo-jumbo, so Steel Druhm demands you open your mind and listen. But, DO NOT download this illegally! Most of you are in enough trouble with the man upstairs as it is. Blasphemers!

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Steel Druhm has been waiting for this for a long time! For the uninitiated, Crom is the brainchild of one Walter Grosse and he functions as a one-man-band, doing it all for the metal masses. His first album, 2008′s Vengeance, was one of those special sleepers that didn’t get nearly as much attention and praise as it deserved. Fusing viking, epic and power metal, it had a unique, engaging style all its own and the songwriting was top-notch (it almost sounded like Týr mixed with Europe and Hammerheart-era Bathory if you can imagine that). So good was the material, years later, I still find myself singing the immortal line “I swear this oath, this oath of Wengeance...” at least once a week (wengeance, like revenge, is best served cold, with crackers and cheese). While the lyrics were based around viking and mythical themes, it had a dead-serious feeling that most power metal acts couldn’t come close to achieving. After a long wait, we finally get Of Love and Death. So, is it more viking/power with all the sacking and rampaging we expect? Well no, it’s something quite different. Apparently in the three years since Vengeance, Mr. Grosse grew tired of viking battles and blood oaths and turned all introspective and emo. This is an album steeped in the subjects of love, heartache, loss and loneliness. That’s right, he done gone and turned in his war hammer for a big-ass book of love poems. As odd as it seems, it doesn’t totally kill things and Grosse’s writing and performing chops are still there. However, this certainly isn’t the sequel I was hoping for and there are issues that ultimately render it a partial disappointment.

As a Crom disciple, I expected opener “Reason to Live” to involve honor, battle and bloodshed. In actuality, it deals with grief and mourning after a loved one dies or goes away (I’m not sure which). Despite the conceptual change-up, the song itself is very much in keeping with the Crom I grew to love. You get heartfelt vocals, impassioned guitar-work  and a generally big, epic feel. It’s a solid song and Grosse’s voice shines during the chorus. The highlight comes with “Lifetime,” which could have been on Vengeance and has everything I love about these guys (I mean guy)! Featuring epic, lofty riffing and viking chanting, it’s what can best be described as pyre-metal (pat. pending). When Steel Druhm eventually ascends to Valhalla, my entrance music can be found at 1:38. Again, Grosse shows his emotive playing and even more emotional singing. It’s a great song, full of viking ethos even though he’s singing of loss and loneliness. Other respectable tracks include “My Destiny” and “This Dying World,” both recapture some of the magic from Crom‘s warrior past.

Ever wonder what Insomnium would sound like if they dropped the death vox and started writing angsty love songs? Well, “Just One Blink” should give you a pretty good idea how that would go. Featuring some highly cringe-inducing lyrics like “I just want you to like me...” it almost works due  to the quality backing music. When you hear these lyrics, you’ll realize what an accomplishment that truly is. More lyrics like these  ultimately become the big obstacle to enjoying Of Love and Death. While the topics of love and loss are fine, the delivery on several songs is flat-out cheesy and awkward. There’s something very disconcerting about teenage angsty lyrics pasted over epic/viking music. If Mr. Grosse was singing about deceased loves, it would work well. However, songs like “Just a Blink” and “Song for All the Broken Hearts” feature the most maudlin “I love you, why don’t you care” type of lyrics and it hamstrings my listening experience every time. Also working against the album is the imbalance between the really good songs and the really weak ones. It’s so stark, it makes you wish certain songs got dumped and this was released as an EP (its only seven songs and an instrumental as is).

I can’t say enough about the talents of Mr. Grosse. I love his voice, his guitar-work (his acoustic pieces are great) and his writing style. He shines on some of these songs, just as he did on Vengeance. The man has the knack for writing majorly epic shit that makes you feel like ransacking your neighbor’s vegetable garden (these tomatoes now belong….to ODIN!). As great as some of this stuff is, there’s a nagging feeling much of the material isn’t up to the level of his previous output (limited as it is).

After so eagerly awaiting this album, I hate to admit disappointment, but that’s how I feel. There are a few great songs and the rest are average to below average. I know its gotta be a tough transition from hearts-on-a-stake to hearts-on-a-sleeve, so I’m willing to be patient. However, if I don’t get my fix of epic viking goodness soon, I’ll be forced to swear an oath, an oath of wengeance! You’re officially on notice, Mr. Grosse. By Crom, strap on that damn sword and start writing pyre metal!

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Talk about the right album at the right time! While I was never that big a fan of the symphonic bombast and Lord of the Rings fetishism of power metal acts like Blind Guardian and Rhapsody, I was tasked with reviewing the new Dragon- land opus over the same long weekend that  local movie channels played the LOTR trilogy nonstop in their full extended glory. Since Under the Grey Banner is yet another slobbering Tolkien love-fest, replete with elves, orcs, swords and sappiness (which completes their own trilogy started on their first two albums), it fit right in. Like their previous works, it’s a full-on symphonic cheese factory with enough grandiose pomposity to choke a Balrog. You know exactly what it will sound like and what will be included. Overblown keyboards, soaring vocals, choirs, frenetic neo-classical guitar wankery, it’s a big, overwrought symphonic mess. As such, it manages to work about as well as most albums of this ilk but at least it didn’t send me running for a shot of insulin until the midway point. While its nothing you haven’t heard before from the likes of Rhapsody or Labyrinth, its well done and quite entertaining at times in a too-close-to-Broadway-musical kind of way. However, it has it’s share of consistency issues and isn’t as strong as their 2004 Starfall release. That said, I’m sure fans of this type of Dungeons & Dragons™ music will love it like a +10 sword of sliceification. In case there was ANY doubt about the nerd-factor of this stuff, Dragonland created an interactive website with maps and narrations to help guide you on the mystic  journey they planned for you. Holy nerd bait, Batman!

Since this is a royally bombastic fantasy epic, you get the obligatory overlong intro and dramatic voiceover to set the mood before the first proper song hits. Luckily, after the long wait, it’s a doozy. “Shadow of the Mithril Mountains” is a speedy, energetic power metal tune with predictably soaring, epic vocals and all the grandeur they could fling against the recording studio wall. Jonas Heidgert flexes his vocal muscles to the limit and his singing really puts the song over exceptionally well, as does the Yngwie-ish fret-work on the song’s back-end. “The Tempest” slows things down while maintaining the epic vibe and again, the vocals make the song better than it should have been. Other high points include the galloping energy of “The Black Mare,” the uber-melodic strains of  ”Lady of Goldenwood” and the Enya-esque closer “Ivory Shores,” courtesy of Amaranthe‘s Elize Ryd (this could have been on the LoTR soundtrack). The title track gives you the whole fantasy kitten-kaboodle and between the voiceovers and the five-hundred guest vocalists, a decent song lays partially buried and obscured.

Sadly, all is not golden in Middle Earth and tracks like “Fire and Brimstone” and “Throne of Bones” get weighed down by Fred Johanson’s deep, super dramatic, quasi-opera baritone vocals that just don’t work and seem cheese- tastic (“Throne of Bones” may be the most Broadway-ready metal song to prance along in years). Likewise, several songs, while decent, seem very generic and bland (“A Thousand Towers White” and “Durnir’s Forge”). Making matters worse, some of the better songs are saddled with voiceovers that pop in and disrupt the flow and momentum (“Lady of Goldenwood” and the title track). In the final accounting, roughly half the tracks here are weighed, measured and found wanting.

The band’s performances are all quite well done, especially the vocals and the guitars by Olof Morck (Amaranthe, Nightrage) and Jesse Lindskog (ex-Dreamland) and some of their leads and solos are impressive indeed. The symphonics are mercifully kept just shy of overdone on several songs and Elize’s vocals are solid and graceful. If they penned a few more quality tracks like “Shadow of the Mithril Mountain,” we would be looking at a potential usurper of the jewel-studded throne of Luca Turilli but it was not meant to be.

In all candor and honestly, Dragonland was never up near the levels of the best in this genre. Despite some fun moments, Under the Grey Banner doesn’t bring them much closer and I doubt it will attract the Eye of Sauron. While far more palatable than what Dragonforce is doing, this is still middle-of-the-pack fantasy power metal puffery with too much elf and not enough orc. Add a point if you know who Gary Gygax is or if you belong to a LARP guild. Nerds!!

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In the ”Barons of Bombast” wing of the Pantheon of Metal, no band has a pedestal quite as lofty as Manowar. Since their birth in the late 70s, they’ve pretty much cornered the market on over-the-top clichés, cheese-wizardry and shameless loincloth abuse. One of the few pretenders to that furry, mead-stained throne of excess (besides Rhapsody, Rhapsody of Fire, Rhapsody of Luca, etc. etc.) are these Germanic purveyors of silly sci-fi lyrics, steely anthems and lusty over-production. It’s true, Iron Savior has never shied away from painful clichés, absurdly goofy concepts or exaggerated paeans to things metallic. If their multi-album concept about the misadventures of a sentient spaceship called “Iron Savior” wasn’t proof enough for you, don’t pursue a career in investigative services. In case you missed the back story, Iron Savior is the creation of one Piet Sielck, a close friend and former band mate of Kai Hansen (Helloween, Gamma Ray). The early Savior albums were close collaborations between Piet and Kai, firmly rooted in Germanic power metal but injected a lot of traditional and NWOBHM influences into the mix. Their material was so damn catchy and fun, I didn’t mind the silly space-opera lyrics or their propensity to sound overdone (a friend dubbed them “the most overproduced band ever”). The Landing is the first new Savior release since 2007′s Megatropolis and long-time fans can breathe easy, because absolutely nothing has changed! The bombast, the cheese, the vintage sound and style, it’s all back, bigger than ever (if that’s even possible). This is big boy power/traditional metal with attitude, balls and delusions of grandeur. In other words, its stupid fun and really rocks!

After a throw-away intro, Iron Savior lands their plane (spaceship) with “The Savior.” This is 110% classic Savior-music and its both charmingly familiar and fun. Piet’s rough, atypical power metal vocals are great as always and his guitar work (along with Joachim Kustner) is thick, chunky and aggressive.  The chorus is huge, hooky and epic as many Savior choruses are (the backing vocals are great) and the whole thing is almost TOO metal, if that makes any sense. Followups like “Starlight,” “Moment in Time” and “Faster Than All” blast along at warp speed, almost approaching thrash territory at times, but they always keep it catchy and tongue-in-metal-cheek.

The big fun comes along with “Heavy Metal Never Dies,” which could have been penned by Manowar themselves and Joey DeMaio will likely claim it as his own. This is the type of knuckleheaded “I love metal” anthem that makes you roll your eyes but still ends up in your stereo for weeks. It’s guilty pleasure metal and it makes me feel bad for liking it so much. Other happy moments of genre exploitation include “Hall of Heroes” (love the guitar harmonies) and “No Guts No Glory” (fun guitar, even more fun chorus). When it comes to writing addicting, memorable power metal, Iron Savior still pisses excellence.

This, like all Savior albums is a very guitar driven affair. I always enjoyed their sound because the guitars were so much heavier than most Euro-Power weenies. The tone here is expectedly thick and mean and it keeps things heavy even when they add tons of keys and get all epic on your ass (“The Savior,” “Hall of Heroes”). Add in Piet’s rough, Lemmy-meets-Jorn vocals and a low-end, bass-heavy mix and it results in a manly take on what can often be a fruity style. Piet and Joachim excel at crafting aggressive, zippy riffs that propel the songs along and they pull off a series of typically metal-tastic solos. Everything sounds crunchy and tight and despite the liberal use of effects and keys, they still sound like a rowdy metal band (kinda like Gamma Ray meets Motorhead).

It’s great to have Iron Savior back after a long hiatus. Like Manowar or a movie like Underworld, to fully enjoy it you must suspend disbelief and embrace the gourmet cheese. This is a big, bold and bombastic collection of trad/power metal hits and it would be a shame to miss the fun because of a self-imposed lactose intolerance. Take your pill and climb aboard Savior Airlines. The flight attendants will be serving ale and mutton once we reach rockin speed.

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Lance King, like Elvis, is everywhere. He’s sang for a ton of bands (Balance of Power, Pyramaze, Avian, Empire etc. etc.), he runs Nightmare Records and still found the time to record and release his first solo album, A Moment in Chiros. For those unfamiliar with his body of work, Mr. King is the quintessential prog-power metal singer. His voice is versatile, powerful and his range is impressive. He sounds equally at home alongside melodic power metal and thoughtful prog-metal. For his debut solo project, he’s brought in elements of both and made damn sure everything is super-duper melodic, even symphonic at times. To assist him in this endeavor, he recruited a mighty host of friends, including members of Anubis Gate, Beyond Twilight and Adagio. The final product (which was apparently written and recorded in only three months) will remind many of Empire-era Queensryche mixed with elements of  Dream Theater, Pagan’s Mind, Anubis Gate and of course, Lance’s other units, especially Balance of Power. There are moments where Lance and company shine as bright as the sun and there’s some interesting material here for fans of power-prog. However, A Moment in Chiros struggles with the consistency of quality and this ultimately hurts things, which is a real shame.

Although a Moment in Chiros is a concept album revolving around the 11:11 time prompt phenomenon, I won’t waste anyone’s “time” trying to explain it. Dammit, Steel Druhm’s a reviewer, not a Scientology wonk! Things begin quite solidly with “A Sense of Urgency,” which is a nice introduction to the variety of melodic metal Lance specializes in. It’s laid back, with low-key guitar work. The keyboards give it a slightly symphonic flavor and Lance’s vocals sound classy and smooth as silk. Thereafter, things ramp up with a suite of great songs including the poignant and memorable ”Awakening,” the more aggressive “Manifest Destiny” and the impossibly hooky “A Given Choice.” All are top-notch examples of modern-day power-prog with moments of emotion and beauty (3:37 of “Manifest Destiny” is one). Other quality moments include the title track and “Dance of Power.”

Sadly, as the album progresses, the quality trails off and later tracks feel slapped together and rather bland (“Joy Everlasting” and “Sacred Systems”). Other songs, while not bad, don’t really grab me (“Transformation” and Infinity    Divine”). Another problem involves the spoken word, “new agey” segments that pop up throughout the album. They serve to advance the concept in the most general way but they come across as cheesy and annoying.

Complaints aside,  A Moment in Chiros has a great sound. It’s rich, warm, lush and polished as all hell. While never overly heavy, the guitars do have a decent crunch. Although the keys are very prominent, this always feels like a metal album, albeit a very melodic one. Lance sounds great throughout and showcases the versatility and range of his pipes. He even elevates a song or two from average to good. The good stuff here is so good, it makes me wish they spent more time refining the writing so this could have been a better album. The first half is 4.0 worthy, the back-end, not so much.

As a fan of Mr. King’s work, I wanted this to be better but it does have about half an album’s worth of strong, enjoyable material. I love the guy’s voice and I’ll support whatever project he’s involved in. I hope next time he can churn out an entire album of the same high quality as the first half here. Fans of classy prog-power and melodic metal should check this out and see for themselves.

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Few obscure, under-ground bands find the level of respect and reverence that San Francisco’s Hammers of Misfortune has. These avaunt-garde weirdos have been doing things their way since 2001 and slowly building appreciation and acclaim along the way. Deftly defying genre tags and easy (lazy) categorization by reviewers like myself, they’ve churned out a uniquely progressive amalgam of NWOBHM, folk, doom and ’70s rock. So unusual is their sound, the only truly comparable band is sister/brother act Slough Feg, with which they’ve swapped influences and members over the years. It’s a pretty safe bet if you like the Feg, you’ll dig what the Hammers are cooking too. Of the two, the Hammers were and are the weirder, more experimental outfit and under the leadership of guitarist/vocalist John Cobbett (ex-Slough Feg, ex-Ludicra), they’ve traveled some strange roads but always packed truckloads of melody and quirky charm. After an overly long wait since 2008′s Fields/Church of Broken Glass, we’re finally treated to their fifth album 17th Street and its a reassuring blast of sonic strangeness, musical eccentricity and refreshing innovation. Although not crushingly heavy or shockingly aggressive, its plenty metal, hugely melodic, catchy and most importantly, original! If that doesn’t sound good to you, go read my diatribe about black metal!

Starting off with the quasi-martial strains of “317,” the listener is quickly introduced to and regaled by quality riff work from Cobbett and new guitarist Leila Abdul-Rauf that sticks to the brain like Crazy Glue and is so metal you can almost see the polished chrome as they play (check out the cool climbing riff at :49 and the slippery solo at 1:08). While it’s a fairly slow-moving piece with limited vocals, the guitars do the talking and keep things interesting. Things get much more energetic with the romping, stomping title track, with an infectiously bouncing, galloping swagger and great interplay between the raucous, near-thrash picking and a rocked out Hammond organ. Cobbett’s distinctive vocals are teamed with Leila’s and those of new vocalist Joe Hutton and things work oh so well! The big highlight comes with “The Grain,” which is a highly emotional, powerful number loaded with feeling and texture. Starting off with a simple riff accompanying heartfelt vocals, it quickly blossoms into a hugely soaring, poignant chorus that will stick with you and keep you hitting the repeat button ad nauseam. It’s probably the single finest moment of their impressive catalog and of 2011 for that matter. Other gems include the hook-laden, hyper-theatrical weirdness of ”The Day the City Died” (it sounds like a manic mash-up of Savatage, Thin Lizzy,  and Jethro Tull), the vintage Exciter meets Deep Purple attack of “Romance Valley” and the multi-faceted “Going Somewhere,” with its reflective lyrics and all-over-the-place moods.

Musically, there’s a lot going on here but this isn’t some thick, overwritten techy wank-o-thon. Quite the opposite actually. It’s a richly layered album that still manages to feel stripped down and simple. It’s chock-full of intriguing and memorable guitar work from Cobbett and Abdul-Rauf (especially on the title track and “The Grain”) and rich, haunting vocal harmonies. There’s also some brilliant organ/keyboard work from Sigrid Sheie and great bass playing from Max Barnett. When you toss in some thoughtfully downcast lyrical themes dealing with the bleakness of  life, you end up with something dark but truly special.

Sound-wise, this is in keeping with the classic Hammers style. It’s warm, organic and far from over-produced. It sounds great but retains a raw, garage-band urgency and power. I especially like the thick, punched-up drum sound. Production aside, the material here is significantly heavier than that on their last few albums and there’s no denying they’re a metal band here.

Whether or not you’re familiar with the Hammers, you should definitely check 17th Street out ASAP. In a year with a lot of solid releases, this is going to end up on many “best of” lists and in all candor, it should. These folks are true musicians and they’ve crafted an intriguing, complex, enjoyable album that overflows with mood and emotion. After a week of listening, it continues to grow on me and reveal itself and I think it’s the magnum opus of their exceptional career. If you believe in supporting quality, cutting edge music, set the GPS to 17th Street and plan on staying awhile. Hail to the Hammers!

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