Maximum Metal Rating Legend

Bloodbound Stormborn Company: AFM Release: 2014 Genre: Power Reviewer: Greg Watson

Power metal opus

Sweden strikes again! Bloodbound's "Stormborn" is a power metal opus for those of us who love our metal fast, epic and anthemic. Blending Edguy and DragonForce together, "Stormborn" is a damn fine piece of metal. Aggressive riffing, insanely fast solos, bombastic and rhythmic drumming, soaring vocals, it has it all. From the opening number "Bloodtale" to the closer "When All Lights Fail", Bloodbound show that they know how to craft a power metal album that would get even the staunchest opponent of power metal to pump their fists in a power metal pit. The vocals are a bit reminiscent of Tobias Sammett of Edguy fame with a little bit of Udo thrown in for good measure. Vocalist Patrik "Pata" Johansson wails and sings his way through the album with plenty of emotion and passion in his vocals. "We Raise the Dead", "Satanic Panic" and "When All Light Fails" are some of the highlights of Johansson's voice. Guitar brethren (literally) Tomas and Henrik Olsson provide plenty of shredding, bone-shearing riffs and some fiery, fret-frenzied solos on the album. They never seem to slow down and I swear they speed up as the album goes on; which is just insane if my ears aren't deceiving me. "Iron Throne" and "Seven Hells" are the musical highlights for the guitar, though any of the songs just kick ass straight through. All in all, "Stormborn" is a hell of an album; what Edguy wishes their last few albums were. Bloodbound has released a banger and you'd be wise to go snag this one up.