Axenstar - Chapter VIII Review

“Is it necessary for artists to grow?” A question that haunted me as I listened to Chapter VIII, the eighth album by Swedish power metal act Axenstar. When an artist finds their niche, deviations always run the risk of alienating their audience from what they found appealing in the first place. Power metal in particular carries plenty of clear expectations—soaring choruses, galloping drums, warbly vibrato for days—and it’s easy for a band to fall into a groove. But where is the line drawn between comforting familiarity and stagnation? At some point, churning out the same art will wrest the initial charm away, the very charm that made a young Mystikus an Axenstar fan in my sprightly youth. Can Axenstar survive by, as they do on Chapter VIII, playing the same power metal that they have for 20 years?

One of the most distinct parts of Axenstar’s music is their cross-on-your-sleeve religious theming. “Kneel before your new savior and lord / give up the fight and lay down your sword” (“Holy Land”) sounds like something from Theocracy, but Theocracy has a certain poetry to their lyrics that contrast with Axenstar’s bluntness. Still, vocalist Magnus Winterwild’s priestly warmth and inviting timbre sells the fundamentalist lyrics well. Musically, Chapter VIII is straightforward symphonic power metal, aesthetically reminiscent of Celesty, Dragonland or Fairyland but largely devoid of fantasy tropes. The symphonic keys aren’t much of a driving force, instead relegated to a support role for newcomer Pelle Åkerlind’s drumming and the axe-work of Joakim Jonsson and Jens Klovegård. Everybody’s performances are great, yet the mix robs the guitars of enough bite that they don’t stand out amidst everything else. The result is a sound that can feel suffocating in its safety through a serviceable if unsatisfying mix, the musical equivalent of polished marble.

A band doesn’t last 20 years without some wind in their sails, though. Within the no-holds-barred power metal energy of the dancing verses of “Through the Fire and Brimstone” and the gallop-heavy chorus in “The Flame of Victory,” the great Axenstar of yore shines through. The music follows a similarly uplifting trajectory as that of the religious lyrics, most apparent in the soaring “Heavenly Symphony.” Even the most cynical atheist will feel compelled to sing along with “Heavenly Symphony”‘s delightfully corny chorus. It’s a welcome change, though, when “Holy Land” brushes the uplifting mood aside for a nice n’ heavy breakdown under a wailing guitar solo. I wish I could say songwriting of this caliber was the norm across Chapter VIII, as the remaining music strictly adheres to the same safety as the production. Though Chapter VIII won’t challenge you and will only rarely stimulate you, these moments show that Axenstar still hasn’t forgotten how to deliver compelling music.

And yet, as a whole, what Chapter VIII needs is a stronger sense of identity. Dragonland or Celesty at least have a kitschy bonhomie about them, but Chapter VIII sounds like power metal being read at me from a script instead of brought to life as Axenstar rehashes their old ideas. Even the very first notes of “Heavenly Symphony” sound almost identical to those of Where Dreams Are Forgotten’s opener “Fear.” Any surface-level variations between songs are irrelevant because everything is so fundamentally similar. “No Surrender” has all the makings of a high-energy romp but the tempo and intensity match everything around it, and “Eye for an Eye” abandons its unique moodiness for yet another all-too-similar chorus and bridge that strikes the same notes as the rest of Chapter VIII. Music this homogeneous turns the standard verse-chorus-solo formula into a draconian prison where every song bitterly refuses to stand out or feel unique, before abruptly ending the split second the post-solo repeated chorus ends. Under these conditions, the only song that jumps out is the fantastical interlude “Enchanted Lands.” To be fair though, it is a fun lil’ song.

So, must artists evolve? Yes, absolutely! Grow, thrive, throw caution to the wind! Art will always grow and change, and at this rate, I fear that it could leave Axenstar behind. Chapter VIII doesn’t spell the downfall of Axenstar, but despite solid moments of power metal pomp, the oppressive air of rote regurgitation is impenetrable. In the end, Chapter VIII is, per its title, another nondescript chapter in the Axenstar saga, only there to move their story forward. Stagnation creeps ever closer, and I genuinely hope that Axenstar can find themselves once again.