It seems like just last year that there was an Iron Savior album released…and it was, but that was re-recorded versions of some of their older tracks whereas this is a shiny new offering, the first since “Skycrest” in 2020…which ironically was just one year after their “Kill or Get Killed” album. I had the pleasure of reviewing “Skycrest” for these very pages and I applauded it for, amongst other things, being a more upbeat, energetic and positive release than its predecessor. A more ‘Iron Savior’ album if I’m honest, so I’m happy to report that this is a trait which has been continued and actually pushed further on this release.
Iron Savior are of course a dependable beacon of German Heavy/Power Metal, if asked to give examples to define the actual sound of German Heavy/Power Metal, Iron Savior will be mentioned in the same breath as Helloween, Gamma Ray, Blind Guardian, Primal Fear and the like. You know what to expect and heaviness is always guaranteed, but delivered with subtle switches in mood from one album to the next. With a stable line-up since 2017, founding Vocalist/Guitarist Pete Sielck is once again joined by Joachim Küstner (guitar), Jan S. Eckert (bass) and Patrick Klose (drums), driving the songs home with the power and conviction you would always hope for.
So what’s changed? Gladly, very little since “Skycrest”, though the revisiting of some older tracks last year may have given Sielck a more rounded view of the band’s song-writing and I hear elements of songs that could have graced any period in the band’s illustrious 25+ year career intertwined within this release. Some of the choruses are at times even catchier than on recent albums (‘Through The Fires Of Hell’ as an example) and the music has that aforementioned positive quality throughout, but many songs appear even more uplifting. One song, the title track is actually even faster than just about anything the band have recorded previously, a galloping warrior of a song that demands to be played again.
The lyrics dip into both fantasy and reality, the production is excellent and basically, this is Iron Savior at their best and most recognisable. They don’t mess around with ballads, they don’t take their foot off the gas and they don’t disappoint their fans. They are what they are and belligerently make no apologies for it. Iron Savior write songs for the already converted and if they win a few more over in the process then all’s good. So really this is a review for those same converts – it’s all fine, don’t worry, Iron Savior are still Iron Savior, powerful and strong as ever, and maybe, just a little bit more so.
(8/10 Andy Barker)
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