After the band’s first two superb albums, I was very eager to hear this new album. Their last release, State of Triumph, was a melodic power metal jewel that still gets regular play in my CD player. So, does the follow up match or even surpass its predecessors? No, but this is still a very commendable power metal release although not a masterpiece like State of Triumph or the debut.

First, I want to touch on the positive aspects of this release. First, Henning Basse turns in another masterful vocal effort. I think this guy was born to sing this genre. I can’t help but think of Michael Kiske and even Ralf Sheepers at times, this guy can sing! The rhythm section is tight, with a forceful delivery which creates a perfect backbone for the sound. Specifically, the double bass is fast paced and extremely tight sounding which should come as no surprise if you have heard any of the bands previous work. The band continues its use of keyboards on this release in just the right spots to give the album some atmosphere.

The unique guitar sound of the first two albums is not quite the same on this album. Being a huge fan of shredding, solos, and memorable riffs, I naturally loved the first two albums of this band. The guitar sound on this album sounds makes for a much more “typical power metal” sound as opposed to the first two albums which had the unique “Metalium” stamp on them. For example, take the song Steel Avenger or Erania from State of Triumph where you can hear quite a bit of shredding in the background. This is exactly what is missing on this new album. The riffs are still solid and keep pace with the rhythm section, the solos still present and well done (maybe not as intricate as in the past), but the “extras” such as the background shredding are simply missing. I really miss all those dual guitar solos too!! I think the departure of Jack Frost has taken its toll.

To make my final point, I would now say the band’s guitar work is closer to typical, but well done power metal instead of masterful and unique. In the end, this is certainly not a bad album, but I’m not so sure it will easily stand the test of time like it’s predecessors. I can’t see any reason why fans of the band or fans of power metal in general would not want to have this CD in their collection, but I don’t foresee anyone being blown away by this disc as I surely was by the band’s first two.