It’s been five years since Canadian Metal band Gatekeeper hit the ground running with their impressive debut “East Of The Sun”, gaining much positive attention from all over the globe. They occupy that blurry Metal territory that some might call Epic Metal, others Traditional Metal, Melodic Heavy Metal and/or even True Metal. So at this stage some of my fellow Ave Noctum writers might be suddenly alarmed at the prospect of me, the Power Metal guy, getting his grubby paws on this latest offering, dreading comparisons to cheesy Euro-power acts and inane symphonic or neoclassical ramblings. Well, it turns out that actually everyone else was rather busy with other albums when this particular gem was offered for review, and I wasn’t going to pass up the chance to swoop in and enjoy a bit of classic, unapologetic full-on Heavy Metal.
There’s a timeless quality to Gatekeeper, a style that both musically and vocally you can easily trace back to historical Virgin Steele/Manowar, but also early Savatage and Omen in the vocals. As you continue to travel through years with the band you can hear echoes of Jag Panzer and Manilla Road, maybe with a Grand Magus attitude and even hints of Iced Earth, Demons & Wizards or Hammerfall in there (Oh come on, you’d be disappointed if I hadn’t got some kind of Power Metal reference in there somewhere!), arriving in the present day alongside acts like Visigoth and Twisted Tower Dire. There’s a good variation of tempos on offer throughout this excellent album, ranging from the speed-fuelled “Death On Black Wings” to the pounding, unrelenting Battle Metal epic qualities of “Exiled King” for example.
The dry, uncomplicated mix of the album is also what adds to the timeless qualities that it possesses. It really could have been released at any point in the last 40 years, actually giving an added maturity to the songs on offer. The band’s ever widening appeal is also given a further boost by their ability to mix dynamic guitar-work with powerful vocals and then casually throw in a really memorable vocal hook to seat the song in your mind just a little more. This is undoubtedly made possible with the versatility and vocal prowess of new singer Tyler Anderson, who is a commanding force on every track, delivering each one with power and honesty, as well as utilising plenty of classic, time-honoured Metal vocal gymnastics.
And there it is really, my worrisome fellow scribes are beginning to relax a little, having got away with me only casting a vague waft towards Hammerfall and no mention of galloping drums, symphonic orchestration or soaring vocals (though the drums and the vocals are more than capable of…no, it’s OK I won’t ruin it for them). Truth is, this is an album brimming with all the best that proper, no nonsense epic Heavy Metal has to offer. Current enough to make an impact, but faithful enough to the past to strike a memorable chord. Reinvigorated by their new line-up this impressive band have made another step forward with this album and are certainly a future force to be reckoned with.
(8/10 Andy Barker)
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