Powerwolf - The Sacrament of Sin (2018)

Ok, I have a confession, I've heard people talk about Powerwolf for years but quite honestly have not given them the time of the day.  Why you ask...hell if I know, just one of those bands that gotten a lot of love but I've been in my own little world.   That, my friends, is all about to change.  After listening to The Sacrament of Sin and checking out tracks from prior CD's that they've been playing live I can officially say i'm on the bandwagon.

The band was formed in 2003 by brothers Charles and Matthew Greywolf and the music and lyric are typically dark themed with the music bordering on Symphonic Metal with some gothic elements.  The themes of the lyric often revolve around Transylivania, Werewolf, Vampire legends and even dark religious tales.  

The Sacrament of Sin is the bands 7th release and true to form the lyrics have a dark theme.  The music perfectly fit Atilla Dorn's deeper voice, which in itself, gives the music and eerie, yet powerful feel.  Fire & Forgive is the opening track and seems to pick up right where Blessed and Possessed left off.  Great chorus, very bombastic and even reminds me of Sabaton at times.  The second song Demon's Are a girls Best Friend is the first single off this CD.  Wouldn't have been my first choice but it's not my choice.  In my mind the best track is Killers With A Cross.  Just love the eerie intro, sounds like church bells and chanting then kicks in "In the Night Came The Killers With Cross.  Great harmonies and chorus...I just picture myself fist pumping to this song live.  Incense and Iron follows and the surprise of the disc was the slow song Where The Wild Wolves Have Gone.  Can't say it was my favorite song, but it's certainly an interesting side of Powerwolf.  Stossgetbet if another anthemic fist pumper and followed by Nightside of Siberia. 

There is no shortage of theatrics and soon to be classics on this release.  I've gone back and listened to Blessed & Possessed and if the previous 5 releases are anything like the last two I'm going to thorougly enjoy them.  I know I love this disc and it ranks right up there amongst my favorites of 2018.  Rating: 9.7/10 (Napalm Records),



01. Fire & Forgive
02. Demons Are A Girl's Best Friend
03. Killers With The Cross
04. Incense And Iron
05. Where The Wild Wolves Have Gone
06. Stossgebet
07. Nightside Of Siberia
08. The Sacrament Of Sin
09. Venom Of Venus
10. Nighttime Rebel
11. Fist By Fist (Sacralize Or Strike)
12. Midnight Madonna [bonus version]

Guardians of Time - Tearing Up The World (2018)

Hailing from Norway and seeming coming out of nowhere (figuratively) is Guardians of Time who have unleashed their 5th CD.  Fifth CD...that's hard to fathom that they've done that much and are relatively unknown in the metal circles outside of Europe.  What sets Guardians of Time apart from many others in the Euro Power Metal genre are their ability to write really catch songs.  Oh sure, bands like Blind Guardian, Stratovarius, and Sonata Arctica have had thier share of great songs but for a relatively obscure band to come along and put out an opus of this magnitude..is well, pretty special.   One song after another seems to fire off  monster riffs and memorable choruses.  Tearing Up the World is the opening song and honestly one that took a while to grow on me.  It features Norway legend Abbath who's vocals are a little more harsh than most of the layered vocals found on many of the other songs.  Don't get me wrong, I don't mind harsh vocals but so many of the songs were built around really strong harmonies and the vocals seemed a bit out of place.   After getting over the initial shock I've come to enjoy the song.   Where the band really stood out were tracks like Raise The Eagle, As I Burn which featured Tim "Ripper" Owens, Masters We Were and...well there really isn't a weak track throughout the CD.  Every song just has great harmonies and is so memorable.  The CD was mixed and mastered at Studio Fredman and really is superb

The general concensous is the Power Metal genre has become stagnant with no real heir to the Stratovarius/Blind Guardian throne.  Guardians of Time are living proof that Power Metal is alive and well. Will they lay claim to the Power Metal throne? Maybe, maybe not, but for now Tearing Up the World is my #1 CD of 2018.  In a year of really strong releases that says a lot and honestly it's going to take something pretty special to dethrone it this late in the year.  (Rating: 10/10)

Tracklist:

1. Tearing Up the World 2. Raise the Eagle 3. We’ll Bring War 4. Burning of Rome 5. Kingdom Come 6. Valhalla Awaits 7. Brothers of the North 8. Light Won’t Shine 9. As I Burn 10. Drawn in Blood 11. Masters We Were