Maximum Metal Rating Legend

Wisconsin's Lords of the Trident are a bit of a quandary when it comes to writing up a review. Their D&D look plus their horrible stage names (Fang VonWrathenstein or Killius Maximus), as well as the disclaimer on their website that they are "the heaviest metal band on earth", makes one wonder if this is all fun and games or if these guys are actually serious. Well, after a few listens to "Frostburn", I can tell you that they are clearly doing this as a humor/parody act. I mean honestly, with those band names and their over the top look they have no choice but to go that route, otherwise no one would really take them seriously. And that would be a shame because I can say with certainty that "Frostburn" is a ripping good time.

Clearly influenced by power metal in the vein of Helloween, Hammerfall, and countless others that could be named here, LOTT are clearly in their element performing power metal and killing it. Fang, aka Ty Christian, has a quality to his voice that reminds me so much of Niklas Isfeldt, formerly of Dream Evil. But when he has to, he can get up there and really wail away with all the confidence in the world. Guitarists Asian Metal and Killius Maximus have got the power metal chops down perfectly. With the twin melodies they create and then the speed, it's clear these guys can play the instruments with more than an amateur proficiency.

Being self produced, the album is really clear and has a great sound to it. It's a well-balanced mix that doesn't highlight one element over another and allows them all to work in tandem to make the sound even bigger. Tracks like "Knights of Dragons Deep", "Haze of the Battlefield" and "Light This City" are some tracks that stood out and really caught my attention. Another track that is clearly evidence of the parody element of the band is the song "Manly Witness" which chronicles the tale of a man who witnessed a shooting and who goes rogue to catch the bad guys. I mean with a line "No, whoa whoa, he's a different breed of man. No, no, no he will fight them if he can", how can you not tell they are blatantly parodying the genre?

All of that said though, it's an incredibly fun listen and the fact that the lyrics aren't blatantly over the top (Steel Panther anyone?) really allows you to enjoy the album without the typical groaning or eye rolling that's usually associated with parody/humor acts in the metal world. I enjoyed the album and am probably going to check out some of their older material as well. And to end on a fun fact, the band has shared the stage with Cage, 3 Inches of Blood and Skeletonwitch to name a few. Not too shabby for a band that pokes fun at the genre. Keep your knickers from getting too twisted and just listen to the album knowing it is intended to be humorous. If you don't think you can listen to it with an open mind or don't care for humor metal, then just stay away.