Heathenâs Eye â Port Inspiro Review
By Angry Metal Guy
Written by: Nameless_n00b_607
The past is a vast well of knowledge and inspiration, but dwelling in it too much has its perils. Not enough of your spin on things can make your album sound generic and stale, while too much can alienate your target audience. Genres with accessible melodic songwriting are a precarious balancing act in this regard, and standing out becomes even more of a trial by fire. Swedish band Heathenâs Eye is boldly trying to make their mark in these well-traveled lands with their debut Port Inspiro, the Esperanto title meaning âinspired by the past.â Can this freshly formed team of experienced musicians sail through time without getting lost along the way?
The heart of Heathenâs Eye beats comfortably within the late-â80s/early-â90s borderlands between melodic rock and metal. On the metal side of things, the songwriting channels the anthemic nature of Acceptâs Metal Heart. Electrifying guitars by axe wielder Göran Hamrin, accompanied by the soaring baritone vocals of Robb Lindh, are Port Inspiroâs driving force, bringing a welcome Jornian attitude to the record. While Lindh is not Lord JĂžrnâand occasionally trades away his strengths for versatilityâhis voice fits the genre like a glove, being often reminiscent of a more rock-oriented Johan LĂ€ngqvist (Candlemass). In between the heavier bits are traces of Magnum and Journey piercing through, with Mikael Anderssonâs wide synth arsenal drifting from bright and nostalgic to dark and mystical between songs. Despite leaning towards the softer end of the metalverse, Heathenâs Eye shows they can still riff, with some unexpectedly hefty guitar and drum work (âMirrorman,â âBlindâ) adding appropriate counterweight to the album.
Confident veteran musicianship makes Port Inspiro turn out to be more varied and ambitious than it seems at first glance. âGhosts of Yesterdayâ and âMonstersâ both recall the subtly progressive melodic side of acts such as â90s Fates Warning or earlier QueensrĂżche. This side of the record makes it a good companion piece to something like the recent A-Z album, albeit leaning less towards prog and more towards AOR. When Heathenâs Eye ups the speed and energy, a hint of power metal influence is noticeable too. The record reaches a particular apex when all these separate elements get to coalesce and transcend (âFirepriestâ). While I wish the album had more bursts of glory in this vein and spent less time in its mid-paced comfort zone, the materialâs catchiness mostly makes up for the lack of speed. The bandâs influences coming from more than one place significantly increase the albumâs replay value, and a smooth blend crafted by experienced hands keeps the ship well afloat.
Port Inspiro is an enjoyable experience overall, but it suffers from some pacing issues. At 63 minutes, the album quite convincingly sprints past LP length. Its plentiful hooks and variety offer a convincing illusion of brevity, but most songs here fall in the 5â6-minute range, and some do overstay their welcome (âMonsters,â âTime to Deliverâ). The pacing also becomes apparent in the albumâs clunky middle, where several songs in a row feature lengthy intros, suggesting a mild case of Steve Harris-itis. Another place where the pacing is problematic is that Heathenâs Eye places two ballads almost next to each other. Cutting the somber, stylistic pariah âLost in the Windâ would result in a more cohesive album. Ultimately, none of these are huge issues, and the album is still a pleasant journey with all 12 tracks ranging from solid to very good. The warm and vibrant production job at a surprising DR10 helps to make Port Inspiro cozy listening from start to finish.1
If Heathenâs Eye can further zero in on their songwriting, their good formula here could very well turn into a resounding triumph. Port Inspiro celebrates the past while also combining the bandâs influences in interesting ways. It might not be innovativeâit doesnât intend to beâbut it does succeed in its main goal: itâs fun. And while some extra trimming and urgency would have further improved the recordâs pacing, it still manages to feel shorter than it is. Even with occasional missteps, Port Inspiro is a comfortable listen that has plenty of tunes combining anthemic and creative, inspired by but not stuck in the past. Iâll be curious to see if they can take what theyâve learned and follow up with an even stronger package; momentum is on their side.
Rating: Good!
DR: 10 | Format Reviewed: V3 MP32
Label: Pride & Joy Music
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Releases Worldwide: June 27th, 2025
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