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IRON SAVIOR Share Cover Of IRENE CARA Hit “Fame”; Awesome Anthems Of The Galaxy Album To Be Released In March 2026

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Feanor – Hellhammer Review

By Samguineous Maximus

Within the sprawling cosmos of heavy metal, there are those who shy away from “cheese.” The self-serious arbiters of credibility who cannot fathom the spectacle of a Jørnlike figure, clad in frills, golden mane cascading, arms outstretched as soliloquies of passion pour forth in gloriously ESL-stained accents. Yet for those of us who have dared sail the seas of cheese, who have cast aside the brittle armor of irony, such bombast is not an embarrassment but a revelation, a childlike ecstasy born from grown men shrieking about dragons or Tolkien over galloping power chords as though their lives depended on it. It is precisely for this rapturous abandon, this embrace of the sublime absurd, that we turn to a band like Feanor. These Argentinians have been cultivating their own brand of curd since the ‘90s, and across 5 albums, have basked in the glorious light of Teutonic heavy metal. Their last album, Power of the Chosen One, fermented for perhaps just a tad too long. Still, with some lineup changes, a new label, and an impressive cast of guest musicians, Hellhammer seems poised to deliver them into the gilded halls of heavy metal greatness. Will Feanor at last unveil a wheel aged with patience and depth, or will these hapless cheesemongers find themselves choking on the very aroma they hoped would entice?

The most immediate difference between Hellhammer and Feanor’s previous efforts is the sheer Euro-chad aura emanating from new vocalist Micke Stark. This is a man forged in the fjords, his Swedish accent as thick as a tankard of mead, his tenor piercing the heavens like Odin’s own warhorn. Stark doesn’t just sing; he commands the ship, steering us through Feanor’s cocktail of Manowar’s loincloth bravado, Running Wild’s salt-crusted bombast, and enough ‘90s power metal clichés to fill a longship. He makes even Thomas Winkler sound reserved, and every syllable he chews becomes a weapon in the band’s arsenal. Whether belting absurd tales of brotherly love (“The Epic of Gilgamesh Pt2 (The Quest For Immortality)”), forbidden Elvish/human romance (“The Ballad of Beren and Luthien”) or vague Scandinavian mythology (“Flight of the Valkyries”), Stark sells every line with enough charm where you can almost feel the pyrotechnics. Nowhere is the ESL charm more apparent, though, than “H.M.J,” a folk metal-flavored ripper about miscellaneous pirate stuff, where in between shredtastic solos and cannonball sound effects synched to gang vocals of “Fire! Guns! Cannons!,” its chorus boldly intones: “Heavy metal Jesus, heavy metal is the law” before ending with a tongue-in-cheek reference to “Stay forever Running Wild.” Stark elevates ridiculous moments like this to memorable highs that feel built for drunken sing-alongs at European festivals and almost make row pits seem like a good idea.

None of this vocal cheese would work without a proper boarding party, and Hellhammer boasts an impressive cast of scallywags for maximum HEAVY METAL POWER. 1 Axemen E.V. Martel and Thilio Hermann (appropriately ex-Manowar and ex-Running Wild, respectively) deliver exactly what one would expect of this style, nailing the distinct blend of galloping verse riffs, tasty lead melodies, and acrobatic solos. Their work is bolstered by newcomer Diana Boncheva on violin, injecting an orchestral feel to Feanor’s core sound by harmonizing with guitar lines, augmenting choruses, and rounding out ballads with some dynamic contrast. Of course, Hellhammer also features no fewer than 9 guest musicians, ranging from more ex-Manowar guitarists Ross the Boss and David Shankle, who throw even more lead guitar layers in the pot, to Piet Sielck of Iron Savior, embellishing arrangements with keyboards and choirs, to Camilla Star,k who delivers female vocals on several cuts. The added cast members lends the album an epic heft, like a band of grizzled adventurers converging for one last quest. When everything comes together, like on adrenaline-filled opener “Sirens of Death” or mid-tempo singalong “Remember the Fallen,” Feanor reach the majestic heights that only cheese this pungent can produce. Unfortunately, not every track is equally alluring.The problem is, Hellhammer just doesn’t know when to quit. At nearly 70 minutes, even the most heroic momentum falters. Feanor try to mix things up with interludes and slower songs, and while some work, they can’t prevent fatigue from setting in. With most tracks running 5–7 minutes, songs start to blur, and by the time track eight (“Maglor the Singer”) rolls around, the weight of the remaining 20+ minutes feels daunting. The album’s final stretch doesn’t help, ending with a ballad (“The Ballad of Beren and Luthien”) and a slower number (“This One’s for You”) that fizzle out instead of finishing strong. The length doesn’t erase the album’s brightest moments, but it does make front-to-back listens a heavy lift.

With Hellhammer, Feanor have produced an impressive collection of fist-pumping tunes that are destined to make seasoned cheese heads grin. Despite its intimidating size, I still find myself reaching for another serving of the band’s exquisite platter. The best songs here are going right into my cheese-maxing playlist alongside Dream Evil and ANGUS McSIX, destined to cheer me up on the darkest of days. This record isn’t perfect, but sometimes it’s nice to rock out alongside metal that’s so unabashedly fun. Even bloated and overstuffed, this album is a banquet worth raiding, a wheel of cheese worth gnawing until your stomach protests, a voyage you’ll happily set sail on again and again.

Rating: Good!
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: No Remorse Records
Websites: facebook.com/feanorband
Releases Worldwide: September 19th, 2025

#2025 #30 #AngusMcSix #ArgentinianMetal #DreamEvil #Feanor #GraveDigger #HeavyMetal #Hellhammer #IronSavior #Manowar #NoRemorseRecords #PowerMetal #Review #Reviews #RunningWild #Sep25 #Stormburner

Burning Sun – Retribution Review

By Angry Metal Guy

By: Nameless_n00b_607

It has been a much slower year for power metal than I would like. There have been a couple of fun releases here and there, but the volume of quality output has been very low. The classic ‘90s style of guitar-forward and keyboard-minimalist power metal has been significantly lacking in particular, and Burning Sun is looking to change that. Naming themselves after a Helloween song,1 this half-Hungarian, half-Chilean duo is on a mission to tell a classic fantasy story through a legacy sound. Burning Sun’s sophomore album, Retribution, lands only two years after their debut, Wake of Ashes, continuing the story of a paladin named Emaly.2

Burning Sun pays homage to various ‘90s European power metal bands well. While the debut was all about breakneck brightness, Retribution sets its sights towards the guitar grit of Iron Savior and Primal Fear (“Cold Winds,” “Fight in the Night”). The anthemic qualities of Helloween dominate across the board (“Open Your Eyes,” “Shadows Undone”),3 and the occasional Iron Maiden-informed gallops and choruses are a welcome presence. Of the duo, Zoltán Papi4 handles the bass and lyrics, whereas Pancho Ireland doubles as vocalist and guitarist. Ireland has a knack for emulating the classic style of power metal riffage they’re no doubt both fans of, opting for rhythmic hooks rather than lighting up the fretboard. He has upped his vocal game, too, navigating wail and grit in Zak Stevens fashion. Furthermore, he is now the only lead vocalist. Where the debut disoriented itself, juggling three voices, Retribution relies solely on Ireland’s pipes and is better for it. Reducing the number of hands on deck reinforces both vocal and instrumental cohesion.

Burning Sun’s focus on guitars over keyboards is a welcome change from current norms. Power metal of the European variety is often mischaracterized as the over-the-top synth-laden side of the genre, even though it’s never been that simple.5 I love a good mission to Mars, but sometimes remaining at ground level is a better option, and Retribution largely sticks to German conventions. Burning Sun enforces a guitar-first attitude and swears by the triumvirate of soaring anthemic vocals, triumphant guitars, and charming choruses. The culmination of this approach is the stunning Primal Fearesque lead guitar melody on “Cold Winds.” Unfortunately, Retribution does stray from its own design philosophy at times. For example, the moodier ‘80s synth stomper “Aftermath” features some vocal fumbles and feels out of place so early into the album. The voice acting at the end of “Cold Winds” is unintentionally hilarious and breaks immersion—once again confirming that storytelling works best when left to the music and lyrics. The album’s minor drawbacks fortunately never snowball into any major issues, and it never loses its critical fun factor.

Retribution is short and sweet but could pack a bigger punch. I’m a big fan of the trend of younger (and even some older) bands starting to write tight and concise records again, and Retribution is no exception. Below 40 minutes and sans the gargantuan epics that often characterize the genre, it’s a highly replayable breeze. But it feels like Burning Sun is still holding back its full potential. The record does its job well but lacks ambition, and I wouldn’t mind it flying a bit closer to the sun—just a bit more heft, speed, and drama to spice things up throughout. Retribution doesn’t need more songs; its material just needs to rip and tear more. It lacks a true barn burner, the likes of “Steel Tormentor,” or indeed, “Burning Sun.” Cuts like “Heart of Darkness” and “By the Light” are damn close to fortune and glory. Likewise, further production improvements can only help. The sound is better than on the debut, but it could still use punchier drums and more prominent bass. I’m content with what the album delivers, but the flame can and should burn brighter.

Retribution is a fun throwback to the glory days of power metal. Burning Sun isn’t doing anything extraordinary, but they’ve accomplished their goals of writing a good, earnest tale of swords and sorcery. It’s the sort of comfort food that I can never have enough of. The trajectory looks promising for Burning Sun, and I’m curious to see if they can enchant their blades in the future and set aflame the ground beneath.

Rating: Good!
DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s CBR MP3
Label: Metalizer Records
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram
Release Date: August 22nd, 2025

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IRON SAVIOR Release “Walls Of Fire (2025 Version)” From Reforged – Machine World

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IRON SAVIOR To Release Final Part Of Reforged Double Album Series, Machine World, In August

https://bravewords.com/news/iron-savior-to-release-final-part-of-reforged-double-album-series-machine-world-in-august/

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IRON SAVIOR Guitarist PIESEL In Recovery From “Unexpected” Bypass Surgery; Upcoming Cuxhaven Show Postponed Until October 2025

https://bravewords.com/news/iron-savior-guitarist-piesel-in-recovery-from-unexpected-bypass-surgery-upcoming-cuxhaven-show-postponed-until-october-2025/

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 DEMNÄCHST!
*Zusammenfassung 15.11. bis 16.12. für Düsseldorf

Attic
15.11.2024 Essen / Don't Panic
16.11.2024 Essen / Turock

Burnout Ostwest
15.11.2024 Essen / Goethebunker

Diary of Dreams
15.11.2024 Oberhausen / Kulttempel

Hyldr
15.11.2024 Köln / Valhalla

Iron Savior
15.11.2024 Essen / Turock

Kruelty
15.11.2024 Köln / MTC

League of Distortion
15.11.2024 Köln / Helios37

Mystic Prophecy
15.11.2024 Essen / Turock
16.11.2024 Köln / Helios37

Pimp Blitzkid
15.11.2024 Düsseldorf / Pitcher

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