don't feel bad if it's Your favourite band, really
Gloryhammer is still a fresh band project by
But now Gloryhammer comes back IN SPACE, fighting wizards with nukes and one cannot simply ignore such absurd topics like that.
So we dive in an instrumental track Infernus Ad Astra, that tells about distant future in 1992. I was alive back then as a nineties kid and I can tell you everything said on this album really happened, those crazy days.
Track goes without stoping into the album track, Rise of the Chaos Wizards. Most important notice on this album is way more complex drumming and riffing, still behind greater bands in the genre but it finally sounds like a band trying to make an impact, not only a joke. I just hope that it won't end like Stratovarius, with only first tracks making a difference, and the rest barely trying. Vocals are just as amazing as on the first album, the strongest point of this band. Well placed solo, background vocals and build really take the mind off the lyrics, that are stupidly fun and memorable.
Legend of the Astral Hammer starts strong just behind it, and I can't stop smiling while listening to serious vocals about Intergalactic great hero of steel.
Not only the vocalist is skilled and talented, he can keep the serious tone even when singing about unicorns and lunar dragons.
Track is a typical sing along with a nice walking tempo, including a nice solo on unindentified instrument, probably some new techology from futuristic 1992.
Shockingly well placed guitar solo really made me rise my eyebrows. If this space shit keeps happening Cain's Offering may need to give the album of the year award to Gloryhammer, and I might need to make a place on my favourite 13 bands for Gloryhammer. But we will see.
Goblin King of the Darkstorm Galaxy starts as fast as the previous track. While at first not as appealing as the last 2 it has a noticable riffing and very catchy chorus, I can't stop thinking that Trollfest would sound like that if they played power metal.
Third track on this album and the builds and solos are still great and fresh, I really didn't expect this album to be this good.
The Hollywood Hootsman starts with heavy guitars and still fast tempo. Interesting lyrics, even though I don't think I get the full joke in this song. Very noticable drum work after second chorus and a bit waah-overloaded guitar solo, but it's the first on the album and fits the Hollywood feel.
...
And I had a super strong chills after the screamed vocal outro, holy fuck.
Victorious Eagle Warfare starts with great keyboard solo, but I still have the previous scream in my mind, give me a minute..Since every song so far is another story about something, I can't help but imagine a scottish junkie with space hat and a bottle of whisky in his hand telling a story to anyone who would want to hear it.
This song has a moments that sound like the vocalist is drunk. So far the weakest song of them all, but I take it as a joke. Not a joke guitar solo though, I didn't read who wrote those solos but
A nice outro, and I didn't notice I'm 23 minutes in.
Questlords of Inverness, Ride to the Galactic Fortress is like a joke title, but after an intro it changes into yet another fast song. Not that boring though, guitar helps us with that.Chorus is a bit trying too hard with the heavy drumming, but keyboards after it help to balance the song.
Choirs singing about an unicorn are a great touch though and make a great entry to another interesting guitar solo.
Again the song is build very well, with a last chorus leading to a prolonged outro fading with keyboards.
Universe on Fire is already known to me, as it was a lyrics teaser track before the album release. An amazing mix of disco/electronic music and power metal. The most hit track on the album so far, lesser focus on vocals really got me worried before the album was released but now after hearing more than a half of the album it's really an enjoyable pause, since there was no slower track so far to take a breath.
Putting a hit track so far on the album was a gutsy move and it profits a lot, this album is way better than the new Stratovarius and Helloween, I have yet to decide if it's better than Cain's Offering.
Heroes (of Dundee) starts slow with epic background and a bit of sadness, but the tempo goes faster in seconds. Very interesting lyrics, simplistic yet with some catchy tricks. Guitar solo strikes very fast for a moment.
I wonder if "An epic war is fight" is a some kind of a joke I don't get.
Great keyboard solo reminds me that Christopher Bowes is still the best keyboardist I've ever seen life (hope that changes tomorrow with Stratovarius gig) and fitting guitar solo arrives soon, with solid drumming arriving in a climax.
Another well played track, and I can't believe it's next to last.
The only "serious" track- Apocalypse 1992.
Long outro leads to vocal prelude. I don't usually like those, but it's said with such passion that wow.
The track really sounds like warriors from Gloryhammer are facing a battle with Space Alestorm.
It's hard to list all ideas put in this song, some elements are so catchy I thought they were choruses, before the real one kicked me in the balls. The song is about destroying Earth to save the Galaxy and I don't think they can get more epic than that.
Melody from the first track makes an appearience in the outro, fucking awesome.
Dundax Aeterna is a solid instrumental outro song, I'm glad some people still make outros like that.
Well, it might be the second greatest surprise this year, after Swallow The Sun releasing 3 in 1 album. And with all the honesty and sympathy in the world I didn't expect this album to be such an amazing piece of art.
Not only all songs are interesting in their own way, build with caution, well placed on the album and with funny yet catchy lyrics, the skills behind this music are also top notch.
Amazing vocalist, one of the best keyboard players I know and suprisingly good guitar compared to the first album. We have orchestrals, rich background, space noises and really- power metal about medival knights fighting a space wizard with plasma guns and laser axes is just stupid, like who would release such amazing music about dumb subjects like that :D
It's not a breakthrough in the genre, but this album is no joke, even if it tries very hard to be one.
I can't find a single thing they did wrong here (except for bass that I never hear and not enough keyboard solos for my taste).
There were 2 or 3 moments where I just stopped typing, amazed by the sudden sounds of vocals and guitars. I never do it mid review but Gloryhammer MUST BE in my top bands, so I extend it to 14 favourite bands and place it on number five. It's the only right thing to do after I greatly underestimated this album, so glad I bought it.
For the glory of Dundee!
Summary:
Vocals: 10+/10
Guitars: 10+/10
Drums: 10-/10
Keys: 10=/10
Bassist killed by Zargothrax
Additional:
++fucking stupid concept of an album
++ mocking the power metal with extremely well power metal
+ absurd and catchy lyrics
+ synths, choirs, background
+ songs are built extremely well
+ great song placement on an album
+ very consistent in quality, no lazy songs
+ interesting and not exhausting even with no slow songs
+ interesting and not exhausting even though basically singing all the time about the same god damn fucking thing
Final score: 127%, holy fucking spacedicks
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