When old-school Traditional Heavy Metal looks fondly upon its family tree, it sees that it has birthed a host of sub-genre descendants as numerous as the stars of the sky and the grains of sand on the seashore. And like most ancestors, it looks out upon its progeny with both pride and revulsion. For instance, it seriously doubts that “progressive dissonant blackened death metal” can actually be related to it and eyes that genre’s mail/milk person with suspicion. But then it sees the New Wave of Traditional Heavy Metal and smiles at the straightlaced apple that didn’t fall too far from the proverbial tree. But even then, the Old Timer sees two different shades of its mini-me, one that incorporates all the bells and whistles of today’s newfangled production values, and one that wears the thrift shop aesthetic of olden days. I really dig bands that can pull off the latter effectively, bands like Century, Lord Mountain, and the gold standard of my recent memory, Legendry. 1

Quebec’s Ravenspell is hoping to join that mighty new-olde company with their debut full-length effort, Obsidian King. Sample the embedded single and album opener “God the Watcher”, and you’ll hear Ravenspell chain its pocket watch to its three-piece suit as it tries to sound as long in the tooth as possible. The song blasts off like a saint out of hell with some rapid riffing and a siren wail from vocalist Alisander the Seer. Clocking in at under four minutes, it sets a blistering tone for an album that will constantly walk the line between classic and speed metals.

Obsidian King by Ravenspell

Like genre leaders Visigoth and Eternal Champion, these guys channel old granddads of metal Manilla Road and Iron Maiden as they serve up sword and sorcery sermons with sweet earworm choruses. Good luck getting “Onwards We March” or “Book of the Dead” out of your head—the latter earns bonus points for kicking things off with a sample from Army of Darkness. Interspersed throughout the more balanced tracks are sub-three-minute, cocaine-fueled speed racers (“Hellstorm” and “Battleaxe Apocalypse”) that hit you and disappear before you even know what happened.

This war wagon nearly made it to the finish line before one of the wheels began to fall off. “Atilla” positions itself to be the Obsidian King’s epic finale, and while it has some cool musical ideas, it ultimately falls flat. Literally. The main vocal lines and backing vocals try to harmonize, but end up clashing in a really unpleasant way. The track also breaks Ravenspell’s winning formula, the one they spent the previous 32 minutes perfecting: classic metal songs at four minutes, speed metal at three. “Atilla” is eight minutes, and in its current form, it just doesn’t work, hun. Production-wise, Obsidian King aims for that old-timey aesthetic of yesteryear, and it mostly hits, despite sounding overly loud to my ears.

Overall, Ravenspell has done the old geezers of metal proud. Obsidian King sounds like it could have been released in the 80s, and for the most part, it delivers the goods. While it may end with a doozy of a misstep, there is over half an hour of quality music here that should please fans of geriatric metal.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Fighter Records
Websites: ravenspell.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/ravenspellofficial
Releases Worldwide: March 12th, 2026

Review: Ravenspell- “Obsidian King”

Release date: March 12th, 2026

Diana N.

Heavy Metal band, Ravenspell are one of the newest emerging bands coming straight out of Quebec, Canada that are ready to contribute to the growing community of New Heavy Metal bands! With their influences coming from legends such as Iron Maiden and Clovenhoof; the band is already oozing with electrifying energy. Ravenspell have recently released a couple of exceptional singles, such as: “Warrior’s 9 to 5″ (2025), “God The Watcher” (2025), and “Obsidian Wing” (2026). The band signed onto Fighter Records on December of 2025, and with that, the band are set to release their debut, full length album titled: “Obsidian King”, coming to digital platforms, CD, 12″ LP and cassette!

Review

God The Watcher is the album’s opening track for the album, and let me tell you, it seriously caught my attention real quick and real fast. The track instantly whips you into the energetic opening riffs and thunderous drum work, as well as the powerful vocals that greet you. For it to be the opening track, I know it is going to be a bad ass album all together. It is speedy, aggressive yet melodic, it has an awesome balance between those tones. Absolutely dig this track.

Onwards We March is up next, and continues with the same energy as the previous track which of course immediately also swept me right in again! The drumming specifically is what caught my attention through the song, just makes me effortlessly bang my head to the beat of the drumming. Towards the middle of the track, we are met with a temp change, slow, heavy and quickly picks up to the speedy tempo. It’s filled with energy, very “headbanging” worthy, and I truly enjoyed this track as well.

The next track, Book of The Dead, begins with a darker tone musically with a small contrast to the previous tracks, and evidently so as it matches the name of the track of course. It definitely starts off heavy, and almost gloomy in a way too, that is what also caught my attention. The track itself has a slower tempo, but at the same time it feels dangerous and grim. The solo was a highlight for me personally, and the guitar work is just very enjoyable throughout the song.

Warrior’s 9 to 5 is one of the tracks that was released as a single, as previously stated. It is a good, catchy and upbeat yet speedy track that I feel also dips with some epic metal elements. It is like a perfect mix, and lots of melodic parts incorporated in the song which I personally also love. And, Alisander’s vocals in this song specifically are also a personal highlight, I very thoroughly appreciated the whole track.

Obsidian Wing is also one of the previously released singles, and this one specifically was released straight out of this album! The track itself has a little more slow-med tempo than for example the first couple of tracks but that does not take away from the fact that it still maintains the same vibe as the previous songs. It is also more melodic, has those power metal hints as well. The transitions to melodic, to more speedy tempos are also well executed too. Since the singles are available to listen to, give this one a listen !

https://youtu.be/gnLjOW6kGK8?si=zcSlthLCcpkLAW7P

Hellstorm is an instant banger of a song. It immediately fires off with a bang, a very strong and punch on the face with intensity and speed. It is a bit of a shorter track, but it is jam packed with energy and power. And once again, with Alisander’s high powered vocals, you know it is an awesome track. The song’s sound is as if it were a mix of thrash, speed and power at all once. It has a vintage sound to it, but also a fresh flare. Personally, one of my favorite tracks on the album so far.

Raise Hell has more of an upbeat sound and tempo, a little more lighter and even with groovier tones; but of course still preserving that heavy aspect as well. It actually is also a fun song, the guitar riffs and solos in this song are one of my favorites out of the whole album too, in which I could vibe effortlessly. The track is pretty short, but it is a quick and lively tune!

On the next track, Relentless I could immediately tell that this one has more rawness and edginess to it. Definitely one of the more heavier sounding tracks from the album, and it also is just as awesome. I personally enjoyed the vocals on this track too, but once again, as a person that tends to focus a lot on guitar work, I liked the sound that was conjured up for this track. Overall, an interesting piece that keeps the momentum going for the album itself.

Battleaxe Apocalypse is actually a pretty short track, but fear not, just as it is a smaller piece, it hits you right on the face with energy and crazy shredding. The tempo is charged up, almost frantic- a melodic frantic. I dig this piece because of how short yet effective it is, it is also just as speedy and packed with force and might.

Attila, the last and concluding track is the only one with the longest duration with a little over 7 minutes of music. It begins with nicely orchestrated and soft toned acoustics, softly and gently molding up to reach its peak. It is picked up with electric guitars and commanding drums, as the tempo changes. It actually definitely reminds me of a Maiden song you would hear.. in lets say Fear of The Dark album (in my opinion) especially the slower, ballad style moments of the song and vocals too. A very interesting piece to close the album with!

Conclusion

Having already listened to their singles, I somehow knew I was going to enjoy this album! I was pleasantly surprised when I listened to the rest of the songs, the whole album in general as a whole is jam packed with energy and kick ass melodies. I personally really liked this album because of the sound, that mixture of speed, thrash and power spread throughout each track was a big aspect that caught my attention right away to the band, and the album itself. I am optimistic to say that I will be on the look out for more potential new releases from Ravenspell! P.S check out the singles!

TheNwothm Score: 9/10

Links

Bandcamp: https://ravenspell.bandcamp.com/music

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/ravenspellofficial/

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/ravenspellofficial/?__d=1%2B

Label:https://www.fighter-records.com/

https://youtu.be/TbEw9TgtUK0?si=sOvTKKPBq555oCE8

Read More Reviews

• Review: Ravenspell- “Obsidian King”

  24th Jan 2026

• Review: Fili Bibiano’s Fortress “Death Is Your Master” 2026

  23rd Jan 2026

• Executioner Steel- “Rage Of The Thunderstorm”

  12th Jan 2026

• Review: Greyhawk “Warriors of Greyhawk”

  10th Jan 2026

#FighterRecords #HeavyMetal #NewAlbum #NewWaveOfTraditionalHeavyMetal #NWOTHM #obsidianKing #ravenspell #Review

Formed in Bologna, Italy, HyperioN has been kicking around since 2015. When they visited these halls in 2017, Eldritch Elitist called their debut, Dangerous Days, “the strongest 3.0 possible,” citing its ability to “effortlessly [inject] elements of trash and power metal into the proceedings” and its “significant room for future growth.” HyperioN returns now in 2026 with their third full-length,1 Cybergenesis, a concept album chronicling an interdimensional war, humanity’s enslavement, and their eventual rebellion and liberation. Although still a five-piece, HyperioN sports an entirely new lineup save for founding guitarist Davide Cotti. Can this massive injection of fresh blood catapult these space-age heavy metallers to the greater heights Eldritch Elitist saw in the band?

New blood or not, HyperioN has a vision for their sound and proudly stays the course. Like previous efforts, Cybergenesis is heavily inspired by the likes of Metal Church and Judas Priest. But thematically rooted in sci-fi territory, HyperioN establishes the futuristic, dystopian backdrop of Cybergenesis’ narrative in much the same fashion that Blaze Bayley did on Silicon Messiah. A neoclassical opening gives way to a “Deafening” detonation of traditional heavy metal, soaring and gritty vocals, and Mozartian fills. HyperioN maintains this momentum with sticky choruses (“Yet We Still Fight,” “Blood over Chrome”), courtesy of new vocalist Max Morelli, and the strong axe work of Cotti and newcomer Francis Dipasquale (“Rewire, Rebuild,” “The Shackles of Chronitus,” “Rhizome Rider”). The potential Eldritch Elitist saw is brutally obvious when the band comes together to exceed their mathematical sum. Moments like the ends of “Grain of Sand”—where a squealing guitar lead cranks up the intensity of the final chorus—and “The Shackles of Chronitus”—where the solo extends to usher Morelli back to center stage—are particularly well done.

Cybergenesis by HyperioN

From a songwriting perspective, Cybergenesis is largely on par with previous efforts—aside from the baffling spoken word intro on “The Whole of Time”—but it’s not executed as well. Morelli is a fairly good vocalist, but he is much different than HyperioN’s previous vocalist and can’t reach the clean, clear highs of Dangerous Days. Rather than find ways to highlight the registers where he does excel, Morelli struggles to mimic previous efforts and seems shoved into too rigid a box. Bassist Simone Cauli employs a tone notably rougher than before. It’s got a retro sound that feels at odds with the futuristic subject matter of Cybergenesis. Where the bass was velvety on Dangerous Days, it’s much grittier or more textured here. Similar to HyperioN’s debut, drummer Francesco Madonna puts in a serviceable but largely unremarkable performance.

Structurally, Cybergenesis isn’t breaking any new ground. Most songs fall in the 4-5 minute range and follow a standard verse-chorus-verse-chorus pattern. No risks are taken here, and this is a fundamentally safe album. This isn’t a criticism per se—HyperioN’s ability to competently utilize well-established constructions is certainly impressive—but it does hold Cybergenesis back from being greater. To its credit, it’s a pretty lean record, clocking in at just under 40 minutes. The music moves along at a good pace, and there’s no real bloat to be found here. But especially in the back half, Cybergenesis can get repetitive as its lack of originality becomes more apparent, which somewhat counteracts the album’s good pacing and brisk runtime.

HyperioN boasts some great guitar work, especially in solos and hooks and such, but I struggled to find much else on Cybergenesis that stood out. I see the same opportunity for growth that Eldritch Elitist did on their debut, but this feels like a step back. It’s marred by a vocal performance that struggles to match the music and a general lack of novel material. Nonetheless, Cybergenesis is solid meat-and-potatoes fare. It’s good background music and playlist filler, but it’s nothing to write home about. You won’t find any new metal converts worshipping at the altar of Cybergenesis, but for those who dig trad/heavy metal muchly, HyperioN’s newest offering should be plenty filling.

Rating: 2.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Fighter Records
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram
Releases Worldwide: Jan 15th, 2026

Review: HyperioN – “Cybergenesis”

Release date: January 15th, 2026

Label: Fighter Records

Pablo Rumel

Cybergenesis marks a new chapter for HyperioN—a rebirth within traditional heavy metal that fuses the legacy of bands like Metal Church, Queensrÿche, and Judas Priest with a modern, progressive energy. After several lineup changes, guitarist and main composer Davide Cotti leads this return with a tighter sound, sharp riffs, and refined production that solidifies the band’s identity. With the addition of vocalist Max Morelli, the album stands as a work of maturity and renewal, preserving the classic essence while propelling HyperioN into the future.

Review

Deafening: A neoclassical lick in high notes and a spiraling, fast riff open the first movement of Cybergenesis. Quick shifts between galloping rhythms and power chords create an energetic track, with slow, emotional sections midway through. The guitar solo weaves with the rhythm guitar, building harmonies and opening a dynamic palette of colors that expand with every listen.

Max Morelli’s voice isn’t that of a virtuoso, but he hits the high notes well and delivers the narratively charged, theatrical parts with clarity. His tone leans closer to the heavy prog of the eighties than to the operatic techniques of nineties power metal.

It’s on Rewire, Rebuild where Morelli’s strength truly shines. He handles falsettos and sustains notes with a steady vibrato, adding rougher, raspier refrains, moving far more comfortably in mid and aggressive registers than in excessively high ones.

As for percussion, we’re dealing with a drummer who knows how to handle rhythmic changes, pounding the snare with force in the most intense parts, giving space to the lead guitars through clever snare work, never overplaying fills or crashing cymbals.

The neoclassical solos and shifting structures bring progressive versatility, breaking monotony with every turn and riff. If you listen closely to Yet We Still Fight, you’ll hear its progressive opening before it downshifts into traditional heavy metal, adding timeless power chords and bursts of rapid single-string picking, layered choirs full of grandeur, and a powerful close between verses, with a thunderous snare and stellar artificial harmonics. One of the album’s highlights.

The Shackles of Chronitus is the classic slow, heavy track, perfect for lowering the pace and entering a darker, more powerful realm. Yet, it must be said, the vocal reverb is too high, which hurts the final mix. It doesn’t sound bad, but the voice borders on saturation, and while it doesn’t drown the guitars, its brightness breaks the balance that worked so well in the other songs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U57MUq5Bf8A

Until the fifth track, Blood Over Chrome, the bass lines were barely audible, something corrected here with an intro led by sharp, bright, pick-driven bass. It takes the lead in rhythmic sections, with quick scales and greater presence in the composition. The song takes a classic heavy metal route, with tight rhythmic sections, razor-edged twin guitars trading rapid runs, and Simone Cauli’s bass at the forefront. The closing with stadium-style choruses gives it the epic vibe the track demands.

Grain of Sand shows HyperioN fully owning their style. A fast riff spirals and twists through chromatic breaks, heading straight into solo guitars and another furious charge: all within thirty seconds. The vocal phrasing, as noted, is raw and not technically extravagant, yet it bursts with force and grit, especially in the chorus and atmospheric clean-guitar parts.

We reach Rhizoma Rider, what a title! With a pure metal intro crafted in progressive fashion, it develops into a mid-tempo song, thick and pounding, recalling Judas Priest’s Ripper Owens era and much of Grave Digger’s raw energy. What The Shackles of Chronitus aimed for is achieved here. The percussion hits like a hammer, the twin guitars attack in unison, supported by strong bass lines, and everything sounds at full power, on a professional level. This track is the gem for fans of heavier metal… Listen to that palm-muted section in the final third! Classic as a leather jacket, as effective and simple as a hammer striking an anvil.

The journey ends with the ultra-epic The Whole of Time. As a closing piece, it’s clear the band gives everything here: a cybernetic voice intro, memorable choirs backed by synths, martial-like percussion, and a mid-tempo rhythm that narrates the story in pure heavy metal form. It’s a dramatic song with guitar-hero solos and an excellent finale.

Conclusion

We’ve focused on the musical aspects of the album, but attention must also be paid to its concept, to the narrative unfolding between songs. Of course, the music takes precedence, since a song can hold a poem or a novel within it, but if the music fails, nothing else matters. That’s not the case here. Music and concept, from the artwork onward, move as one. The album runs close to forty minutes, which is always a good sign.

TheNwothm Score: 8.5/10

Links

Bandcamp:https://hyperionbandheavy.bandcamp.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hyperionbandheavy

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/hyperionband

Label:https://www.fighter-records.com/

Read More Reviews

• Review: HyperioN – “Cybergenesis”

  14th Nov 2025

• Review: Ninth Circle – “Anthem of the Immortal”

  12th Nov 2025

• Review: Bergfried “Romantik III”

  9th Nov 2025

• Review: Creatures – “Creatures II”

  8th Nov 2025

#FighterRecords #HeavyMetal #italian #ItalianHeavyMetal #JudasPriest #metalChurch #NewAlbum #NWOTHM

HyperioN unleash lyric video for “Rewire, Rebuild” ahead of new album ‘Cybergenesis’

Rising from the heart of Italy’s heavy metal underground, HyperioN have dropped a gripping lyric video for “Rewire, Rebuild,” the second single from their forthcoming album, Cybergenesis. Watch it now on YouTube:

http://www.youtu.be/F_t3ubeiPMc

The track is streaming across all major platforms, including Bandcamp, Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Tidal, Pandora, AWA, and Deezer.

Set for release on January 15th, 2026 via Fighter Records, Cybergenesis marks HyperioN’s third full-length studio album and is now available for pre-order: hyperionbandheavy.bandcamp.com/album/cybergenesis

A concept-driven record steeped in classic sci-fi lore, Cybergenesis delivers eight tracks of high-octane traditional heavy metal. The album’s narrative follows a doomed space mission that triggers the awakening of the Choir—an ancient alien hive mind—and humanity’s descent into a brutal war against cyborg overlords. At the center of this rebellion stands the Rhizome Rider, a fallen commander reborn to lead the final charge for freedom.

Drawing inspiration from genre-defining works like Star Trek and Ghost in the Shell, Cybergenesis explores themes of resistance, sacrifice, and the enduring strength of the human spirit.

The album’s cover art was hand-painted by UK illustrator Ryan T. Hancock, known for his work with Seven Sisters, Blood Star, and Stormborn. HyperioN deliberately chose a traditional canvas approach to reflect the album’s raw, human essence.

Tracklist:

Current Line-up:

• Davide Cotti – Guitars
• Francesco Madonna – Drums
• Max Morelli – Vocals
• Simone “Nega” Cauli – Bass
• Francis Dipasquale – Guitars

About HyperioN: Founded in 2015 by drummer Jason Beghelli and guitarist Davide Cotti, HyperioN emerged with a mission to revive traditional heavy metal, channeling the spirit of Metal Church, early Queensrÿche, and Judas Priest. Their debut album Dangerous Days (2017) earned critical acclaim and led to live appearances alongside Italian metal stalwarts.

Following lineup changes and the release of Into The Maelstrom (2020), the band weathered the pandemic and expanded their global reach via Bandcamp and streaming platforms. With a refreshed lineup and renewed creative fire, HyperioN now present Cybergenesis—a bold new chapter that honors their roots while pushing their sound into cinematic, sci-fi territory.

LInktree: linktr.ee/hyperionband

Fighter Records: fighter-records.com

#Cybergenesis #FighterRecords #HeavyMetal #HyperioN #metal #NewAlbum #NWOTHM #rewireRebuild #thenwothm #thenwothmCom

Ültra Raptör – Fossilized Review

By Grin Reaper

Cybernetic dinosaurs skirmish with a squad of Starship Troopers-inspired foot soldiers on a battle-scarred field. Eerie green mist cloaks a gutted refinery where small fires continue to blaze. Above, pocked moons loom menacingly low, while farther up, chrome font adorned with gratuitous umlauts irradiates the sky. Conventional wisdom says not to judge a book by its cover, but this is album art you can hear. If you’re not conjuring vivacious guitar acrobatics, lock-step rhythmic thunder, and macho bellows, then you aren’t paying attention. Ültra Raptör is here to crack open a cold one and unleash sophomore effort Fossilized. So buckle up, buckaroo. Grab your mandatory Molson and let this quintet of Canucks hit you “Hard ‘N Fast” with their take on heavy speed metal.

Have I ever wondered what Judas Priest might sound like if they teamed up with Blaze Bayley to write Screaming for Vengeance II? No. But Ültra Raptör approximates that hypothetical effort on Fossilized. Musically speaking, Fossilized sits comfortably between Priest’s 80s era and modern Riot V. Slick guitar leads, rumbly bass grooves, and punchy drums support hooky-as-fook choruses and flashy solos. The music is kinetic, and anyone who appreciates a slice of NWoBHM should find plenty of toe-tapping, headbangable moments. Ültra Raptör doesn’t do anything new on Fossilized, but they never claim to. These fellas are just here to cook up tales of heavy metal, dinosaurs, and haulin’ ass, and by God, they do that with aplomb.

Fossilized charms effortlessly, churning out melodies and earworms so sticky that I can’t shake them from my gray matter. The first four tracks set an imposing standard, where “Fossilized” and “Hard ‘N Fast” are my personal favorites, and “Spinosaurus” and “Living’ for the Riff” never falter. Guitarists Criss Raptör and Zoltan Saurus lead the assault, with riffs, licks, and leads blitzing your ears with cocksure blasts.1 From the opening moments of “Fossilized,” the six-string theatrics never let up. I’ve listened to my share of albums where I was duped by a single, only to discover the rest of the album failed to live up to the soaring heights promised. Ültra Raptör peddles no such dreck. Growling bottom-end Dick Van Heuß bolsters each track with brawny bass. Though spotlights are rare, Van Heuß constantly lurks below, ever present if you listen past the rest of the electrifying onslaught. No laggard himself, drummer Tony Bronco revs up the kit and does a tremendous job of setting a searing pace (“X-Celerator”2). Meanwhile, vocalist Phil T. Lung croons through nine tracks with his gritty baritone. I expect his voice will be the most divisive part of Ültra Raptör’s sound, and while he’s capable, it’s not the typical torsion-induced falsettos regularly featured in the genre. Though he mostly evokes Blaze Bayley, a few moments ring of Dave Brockie. The ensuing amalgam is a potent brewski—one best consumed with a mullet and a pack of cigs crammed into your denim jacket.

Ültra Raptör’s fearlessness begets a raucous and engaging listen, though adjustments could have elevated Fossilized. In total, they deliver forty-one minutes of filler-less heavy metal (less instrumental “Le Voyageur d’Oort,” a decent but unremarkable minute). The mix permits everyone to shine and contains enough depth to appreciate what passes for nuance in such an outrageous concept. Revisiting the vocals, Lung is proficient and never lacks the gusto to match the music’s energy. Despite that, I wish there was more variety in his singing. Either harnessing more falsettos like on debut Tyrants or bringing in a guest singer could add enough extra spice to kick things up a notch. Singing aside, the chief knock on Fossilized is a lack of originality. I don’t believe this will or should prevent anyone from enjoying what Ültra Raptör does here, but it defines a ceiling that’s extremely difficult to push past.

Ültra Raptör pumps testosterone-fueled, chest-thumping vigor into Fossilized, constructing an over-the-top arrogance that would crumble with less conviction. The album exudes fun because of the utter commitment to the bit, and unless you’re allergic to a good time, I highly recommend checking out Fossilized. It’s not an album that will change anyone’s mind about what heavy or speed metal offers, but it is an excellent example of what makes a very good record within those confines.

Rating: Very Good
DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Fighter Records
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: October 7th, 2025

#2025 #35 #BlazeBayley #CanadianMetal #FighterRecords #Fossilized #HeavyMetal #JudasPriest #Oct25 #Review #Reviews #Riot #RiotV #SpeedMetal #ÜltraRaptör

Greyhawk – Thunderheart Review

By Holdeneye

I feel like I’ve written a lot about Greyhawk over the years. Covering the Seattle band’s two EPs and debut LP has been an honor considering I stumbled upon them unexpectedly at a live show; it’s one of the very few times that a band has won me over with a live performance before I’d ever heard a second of their recorded material. Greyhawk peddles traditional metal with a strong element of shred included thanks to their mighty guitar virtuoso, Jesse Berlin. The band’s focus on positivity and heroism is my favorite thing about them, and their music never fails to raise my spirits. An incident at the band’s 2021 show in Boise showed that heroism moving beyond fantasy and into reality when bassist Darin Wall was wounded while preventing a gunman from opening fire on the people gathered outside the venue. Now that’s a fucking heavy metal tale. When I heard that the band’s second full-length was close at hand, my fanboyism swelled up to dangerous levels. Let’s see if Thunderheart can carry the weight of the band’s legacy.

At first glance, it seems as if little has changed when it comes to the Greyhawk sound. Still combining the epic grandeur of Manowar and Dio with the energy of early 80’s Judas Priest, embedded single “Thunderheart” would have fit comfortably on any of the band’s previous releases. The song’s intro channels JP’s “The Hellion” before settling into an uplifting, mid-paced Dio groove. Berlin throws down a super smooth solo while Wall’s gargantuan bass tone lays down the thunder. I recently heard the band play the song live when they opened for Cirith Ungol, and it was a killer.

But when taken as a whole, Thunderheart reveals a stylistic shift in the realm of Greyhawk. About half of the tracks still hold relatively closely to the band’s tradition of traditional heavy metal (“Spellstone,” title track, “Steadfast,” “Sacrifice of Steel”), but just as many have veered into more standard rock territory. “Rock & Roll City” unsurprisingly rocks hard (and kills live), “Ombria (City of the Night)” is a slow-churning groove-fest that never fails to put the snarl of righteousness upon my face, and “The Golden Candle” closes the record out with a mournful ballad. I really like the feeling Berlin’s lead work brings this time around; I may miss some of his more molten Randy Rhoads-style playing, but I dig this smoother aesthetic used by 80s rock bands like Survivor. In fact, tracks like “The Last Mile” and “Back in the Fight” feel like they could actually have been on the Rocky IV soundtrack, and if you know me, you’d know that this is very high praise.

Singer Rev Taylor is really coming into his own as a frontman; his lower crooning, mid-range singing, and higher shouts feel really powerful on Thunderheart, and I must agree with my son, who upon hearing the first song of the promo said, “I knew it was the Greyhawk singer right away, Dad.” Taylor’s distinctive delivery makes him one of my favorite metal vocalists right now, but I must admit that one aspect of his performance here bothers me. His high falsettos feel pretty thin and become distracting when used in great number like on album-opener “Spellstone;” I honestly don’t think he even needs to go for these notes, because the rest of his game is so strong. I’ve been listening to this record for months now, and I’m still not quite sure how I feel about the songwriting as this feels like a bit of a transitional album. Greyhawk have released some of my favorite traditional metal tunes of all time (“Don’t Wait for the Wizard,” “Black Peak,” “Steelbound“), and there aren’t any tracks here that can match those heights. Still, I’ve been having a blast with Thunderheart, and I don’t see that changing anytime soon.

Thunderheart may not be the ultimate masterpiece that I was hoping for from my hometown heroes, but it’s been a super fun listen nonetheless. The record shows Greyhawk toying with their sound as they continue to hone their identity, and the vast majority of that experimentation works really well. One thing remains certain: whenever life knocks me down, Greyhawk’s blatant positivity will always be there to walk the last mile with me, giving me the courage I need to get back in the fight.

Rating: Good
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: PCM
Label: Fighter Records
Websites: greyhawkmetal.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/greyhawkheavymetal
Releases Worldwide: April 2nd, 2024

#2024 #30 #AmericanMetal #Apr24 #Dio #FighterRecords #Greyhawk #HardRock #HeavyMetal #JudasPriest #Manowar #Review #Reviews #Survivor #Thunderheart