Well, I have to admit that their Improper Burial EP caught my attention for a short while and it served its purpose on me keeping an eye for this quintet when their full LP came out. Here it is and I have to admit that I had fun with this record. Groundbreaking? No but were you really expecting that? 
One of the first things that I noticed from the get-go is that any leanings towards NWOBHM that some of their members had from their alma mater it's gone. My Last Attack is one of the strongest tracks and it's power metal played with precision and flair. It just hooks you in. Santana and LaRue have some serious chops and they are not afraid to flex their musical muscles. Call to Valhalla slows things down for a moment but the title track speeds things up in a flash. The Blackest Night is a slow number that turns speedy in the middle but it is well done. Chase the Wind may be the closest song with a traditional heavy metal sound but the band can't wait to leave the vocals to go back to the pyrotechnics. With Hollow Ground I begin to get a Hammerfall vibe going but there's also a problem. It's well done but it doesn't have much staying power and that's a problem that the second half of the album begins to show repeatedly. Requiem improves things a bit for me but it just doesn't make itself memorable. Cherish Disdain finishes up things in a speedy fashion and I have to admit that I was thankful for that since these guys shine when they turn up the afterburners and the album had begun to drag at this point.
Overall, I feel that it's a good debut for these guys and the tour with Blind Guardian it's just what the doctor ordered to get them some exposure. The album is well produced and the band sounds tight. I forgot to mention that both tunes from their EP made the album but I still prefer Immortal Man over Fight to Kill. It's just a matter of taste but if you liked what you heard in the EP I believe you'll like what these guys have done with a full record. There's nothing wrong with a little fun, right?
One of the first things that I noticed from the get-go is that any leanings towards NWOBHM that some of their members had from their alma mater it's gone. My Last Attack is one of the strongest tracks and it's power metal played with precision and flair. It just hooks you in. Santana and LaRue have some serious chops and they are not afraid to flex their musical muscles. Call to Valhalla slows things down for a moment but the title track speeds things up in a flash. The Blackest Night is a slow number that turns speedy in the middle but it is well done. Chase the Wind may be the closest song with a traditional heavy metal sound but the band can't wait to leave the vocals to go back to the pyrotechnics. With Hollow Ground I begin to get a Hammerfall vibe going but there's also a problem. It's well done but it doesn't have much staying power and that's a problem that the second half of the album begins to show repeatedly. Requiem improves things a bit for me but it just doesn't make itself memorable. Cherish Disdain finishes up things in a speedy fashion and I have to admit that I was thankful for that since these guys shine when they turn up the afterburners and the album had begun to drag at this point.
Overall, I feel that it's a good debut for these guys and the tour with Blind Guardian it's just what the doctor ordered to get them some exposure. The album is well produced and the band sounds tight. I forgot to mention that both tunes from their EP made the album but I still prefer Immortal Man over Fight to Kill. It's just a matter of taste but if you liked what you heard in the EP I believe you'll like what these guys have done with a full record. There's nothing wrong with a little fun, right?
