Time Signature Holy war...

Genre: Euro power metal

If I say "Euro power metal", maybe you will say "what a load of cheesy crap". If I say "neoclassical metal", maybe you will say "god damn show-off guitarists". If I say that Iron Mask is a European power metal band who play neoclassical metal, may be you will puke all over the place with disgust just at the thought of how cheesy and crappy it will probably sound.

And then you would probably have vomited in vain, because this Belgian power metal band led by the guitarist Dushan Petrossi are actually not bad at all.

The 2004-album "Hordes of the Brave", which is reissed in digipak format this year has everything that characterizes big and epic Euro power metal, but Iron Mask make use of these elements in a very compelling and only minimally cheesy way. You have the big and epic power metal choruses whose main attraction is that they are catchy as hell (I mean, just listen to "Troops of Avalon"). You have the neoclassicisms, but these are integrated into the overall sound of the album, so it does not seem that the band is just the vehicle of a guitarist's ego. No, this comes across as a real band that just happens to have a very skilled guitarist as band leader.

One thing that appeals to me personally is the way that some of the tracks actually come across quite aggressive featuring speed metal energy, and there is even some thrashy riffage in "Holy War". This aspect of Iron Mask's music goes well together with the power metal grandeur, resulting in power metal that indeed has "power". The only thing that is a bit of a turn-off for me personally is the use of keyboards to achieve a symphonic effect, which strikes me as being cheesy. However, there are some really nice keyboard solos on the album to even the score.

Fans of Euro power metal s this should definitely check take advantage of the fact that this album is being reissued and invest in it. Who knows, perhaps fans of speed metal and traditional metal will enjoy it, too.