DippoMagoo It’s very common for bands within similar genres to influence one another. In fact, many bands are often influenced by those from within completely different genres. Bands borrowing ideas from another is quite common and can work quite well, as long as the band in question is willing to put their own unique touches on the music, to make it stand out. However, there’s always a tight line one must walk in such a case, so as not to fall into outright impersonation, or worse, plagiarism.

One band who has been clearly wearing their influences on their sleeves in recent years is Swedish power metal band Bloodbound. They initially started out with their own sound, being one of the heavier power metal bands around, but they’ve evolved a lot over the years, with their sixth album, Stormborn, in particular marking the beginning of their current brand of symphonic infused power metal, clearly influenced by Sabaton. Where that album and its successor, War of Dragons, showed clear influences of the aforementioned band on many tracks, however, their upcoming eighth full length release, Rise of the Dragon Empire, comes dangerously close to total impersonation at times, with some tracks feeling unmistakably familiar. However, the band has managed to work their magic, and put in enough of their own unique qualities, as well as continued with their usual excellent songwriting, in order to craft yet another excellent album, even if it does feel like a slight step down from their last couple.

Stylistically, Rise of the Dragon Empire is very similar to War of Dragons, with the band softening their sound even further, giving way to a largely keyboard dominant sound, with a continued emphasis on huge vocal melodies and epic choruses. The biggest change to the sound is the inclusion of some minor folk elements, which appear here and there on some tracks, though they’re most noticeable on “The Warlock’s Trail” and the closing ballad “Reign of Fire”. Aside from the slight issues of musical plagiarism, which I’ll get into in a bit, the songwriting is consistently excellent once again, with a continued focus on fun, catchy and very melodic power metal, with some symphonic influences, just as one would expect from a follow up to the band’s most successful album to date. Performances are strong across the board, with dual guitarists Henrik and Tomas Olsson, keyboardist Fredrik Bergh and vocalist Patrik J. Selleby all being in top form, as always, with the latter occasionally sounding a bit softer than usual, to fit the tone of the music, though he can still carry an epic chorus just as well as ever.

I usually do my song by song breakdowns in order, but for this album I’ll start with the slightly problematic tracks and slowly work my way up to the highlights, to end the review on a more positive note. First up, while the track is excellent in its own right, being a very melodic, somewhat upbeat track with some slight folk influence in the guitars, it doesn’t have the energy or speed one would expect from an opening track by this band. It does have an amazing chorus, though, except that Patrik sounds slightly quieter than normal, and doesn’t seem fully engaged. Two tracks later is “Skyriders and Stormbringers”, where right from the start of my first listen, my plagiarism detector went off, with the opening bars of the chorus being oddly familiar, and then once the opening verse starts, the main drum beat kicks in and it feels so similar to “Carolus Rex” by Sabaton, it’s just really hard to shake it off and fully enjoy the track. However, the chorus itself is absolutely spectacular once it kicks in, and over time, once I was able to get over the obvious impersonation, the song has managed to grow on me a lot, with the highlight being an incredible sped up passage in the middle, and that’s by far the freshest sounding section on the track.

The Sabaton soundalike marathon continues on “Blackwater Bay”, a slow, largely keyboard driven track, which has some very epic choral vocal during the verses, as well as a very fun and catchy chorus, It’s a slower paced track, very much in line with what the aforementioned band has been doing a lot lately, though it does have enough memorable moments to help make it stand out, so it doesn’t suffer as much from the comparison as “Skyriders and Stormbringers”. The last song that feels extremely familiar is “Giants of Heaven”, a speedier track where the opening riff really feels like it could have been taken from the likes of “Solider of 3 Armies”, “Poltava” or “Counterstrike”, among others, though there are some strong, epic symphonic elements to help distinguish it a bit, and the verses are explosive, while the chorus is every bit as epic and catchy as always, so it still ends up being an amazing track. Honestly, all four of these tracks are excellent in their own right, but I felt I had to mention how familiar they feel, as fans of the band in question may be taken a bit off guard, and think they accidentally put on the wrong album, or something.

Moving into more positive territory, “Breaking the Beast” is a fun, hard hitting heavy metal infused track, with some surprisingly heavy riffs during the opening, as well as during the excellent chorus, while the verses are melodic, but keep the momentum going nicely. It’s not quite amazing, like many of the other tracks here, but it’s still a very satisfying track, overall. Closing ballad “Reign of Fire”, is one of two more folk infused tracks here, with folk melodies dominating the music throughout, and it’s a very beautiful track, with calm, slow building verses giving way to an epic chorus, where Patrik goes all out and sounds amazing, especially near the end of the track.

And now, it’s time to mention the true killers, starting with lead single “Slayer of Kings”, a fast paced track, which starts off with a calm, melodic intro section, before the band quickly speeds things up and keeps the momentum going with some blistering riffs, thundering drums and epic vocals during the verses, before giving a way to a slow, but super melodic and unbelievably fun and catchy chorus. This is the kind of track the band excels at, and they really knocked it out of the park on this one. Two tracks later, “Magical Eye” is a more symphonic influenced, but still fast paced track, which is a bit lighter, but still has some great riffs, as well as an incredibly addictive chorus, fun verses, and an excellent guitar solo in the second half.

The most folk infused track here is “The Warlock’s Trail”, a mid paced stomper of a track, which uses its folk melodies very nicely during the chorus, while having some epic, fun verses. The chorus in particular is one of the best here, though, with a very cheery tone, epic vocals and a strong folk influence, to help make it absolutely wonderful, with the last run through being especially amazing. Near the end of the album is “Balerion”, another very speedy, highly symphonic track, with a slight neoclassical feel in the guitar work. It’s one of the fastest tracks here, while still having some great keys, and the chorus is again outstanding, while the verses are fast, furious and a ton of fun, and the guitar solo near the end is very epic and well played. The highlight of the track is an amazing stop/start section right near the end, and the ensuing final run through the chorus is awe inspiring.

My favourite track on the album, though, is “A Blessing in Sorcery”, another very speedy track, which definitely has some of that Sabaton influence in the keys, but unlike the other tracks I mentioned earlier, it doesn’t remind me of any particular tracks, instead using those influences in a more subtle way to craft something even more epic and unbelievably addictive and catchy, with the chorus in particular being one of the best sing along choruses I’ve come across in quite some time, while the rest of the song moves at a great pace, and is very melodic and epic, as well, with the choral section in the middle being particularly unforgettable. It’s simply the band at their absolute best, and is definitely an early 2019 highlight, as well as one of my favourite Bloodbound songs to date.

I was initially a bit disappointed with Rise of the Dragon Empire, due to some of the tracks feeling dangerously familiar, but once I got over that and started digger a bit deeper into those tracks, as well as focusing more on the album’s highlights, it ended up growing on me, and has proven itself to be yet another excellent album from Bloodbound. It doesn’t quite match Stormborn or War of Dragons, but it’s still a highly addictive, very melodic album, with some amazing choruses, as well as being the band’s most varied album in quite a while, continuing with the symphonic elements of its predecessor, while adding in some subtle folk elements. Fans of the band should love it, and fans of the more melodic, keyboard driven side of the genre are highly recommended to check this album out, as Bloodbound continue to be one of the best in the business, even if their influences are starting to become a bit too obvious, at times.

originally written for myglobalmind.com: https://myglobalmind.com/2019/03/16/bloodbound-rise-of-the-dragon-empire-review/

DippoMagoo I’ve made it no secret over the past few years that Swedish power metal band Sabaton are one of my absolute favorites in the genre, but I’ve found myself surprised recently as offshoot band Civil War has managed to seemingly beat them at their own game, while other bands have been effectively incorporating elements of their music into their own sound to make for something a bit more unique. Which brings us to their fellow Swedes Bloodbound, a band who I’ve enjoyed a lot over the years and who especially impressed me with their 2014 release Stormborn. That release felt like a full return to the band’s classic power metal roots and on some tracks they seem to be influenced a bit by Sabaton, while still retaining their own sound. Now, not quite two and a half years later the band is back with their seventh full-length release War of Dragons, and if anything those influences are stronger this time around, with almost the entire album feeling like something I can best describe as “Sabaton on steroids.” But does this sound actually work out for the band, or are they better off going back to the drawing board and trying something different? Short answer: It works brilliantly and is easily my favorite Bloodbound release to date. For the long answer, I’ll go into more detail below.

I’ll try and avoid name dropping too much as I go along, but suffice to say on this release Bloodbound has taken the core power metal sound of Stormborn, and dialed it up to 11 on all fronts, resulting in an album full of extremely fast paced tracks, with huge anthem-like choruses, huge choral vocal sections, an increased use of symphonic elements, and of course the sound wouldn’t be complete without keyboards and that’s one area where the band has really gone all out on this release, as on past releases they played more of a minor role, where on this track they lead the way quite often and are extremely prominent throughout. But of course, one element the aforementioned band has been lacking in recent years is those heavy guitar riffs, something Bloodbound has always had. I’m sure the previous couple sentences will have some longtime fans worried that the guitars have been toned down to allow for the other elements I mentioned, but thankfully that is not the case as there are still a ton of great riffs and excellent guitar solos here, and on some tracks the guitars definitely add more of a classic metal edge, which is the one area where the band really refreshes the formula and brings something new to the table, compared to other bands who use a similar sound.

At this point, not much needs to be said about vocalist Patrik Johansson, who by now has earned his place as the voice of the band. His vocals are as powerful as ever and he can certainly deliver strongly on the heavier sections, but I find he has always excelled at the more melodic sections as he happens to be one of the best in all of metal right now when it comes to choruses, and on War of Dragons he once again delivers, singing some of the best vocal lines I’ve heard on any album in recent years. The supporting choir vocals are also extremely epic in some sections and help add to the overall symphonic feel of the album.

Songwriting is an area where the band usually does well, but up to this point, they had never released a batch of songs I’d consider perfect. That has changed with “War of Dragons”, though, as not only are there no songs I’d ever consider skipping, there aren’t any songs here I don’t absolutely love and get excited to hear every time I play the album. After a brief voice over intro, opening track “Battle in the Sky” does an excellent job of showing the listener what to expect from the album, as Patrik briefly introduces the epic chorus, before the track speeds up and the keyboards and symphonic elements quickly take over, then the guitars appear and get pretty heavy during the fast-paced verses. It’s a typically up-tempo and very fun track with a huge, instantly memorable chorus and it’s certainly a song that blew me away immediately and has stayed stuck in my head since the very first listen. Next is “Tears of a Dragonheart”, another speedy, slightly more straight-forward track where the keyboards are once again quite prominent, and it’s another really fun track overall, though its highlight comes in the middle where the choirs take over and a singer with a really deep voice briefly takes lead and the way his voice sounds makes the main inspiration for this album even more obvious.

The title track is another fast paced track, that once again delivers a great chorus and plenty of fun moments throughout, but it’s actually the slow paced, very epic lead into the chorus that stands out as the highlight, as Patrik does an especially fantastic job during this section, and the marching drums are pretty awesome. Next is “Silver Wings”, the first track that stands out as sounding a bit different, and it’s another instant winner, with its nice folk melodies leading the way, especially during the very upbeat and epic chorus, and while it’s a bit more mid-tempo compared to the first four tracks, it still moves along at a nice pace and is another very fun track. The first real mid-tempo track of the album is “Stand and Fight”, another track which wears its influences on its sleeves, as the keyboards are very prominent again and the chorus feels familiar, while still being incredibly addictive. It has another epic section with marching drums, but once again it’s the middle section that really steals the show, as first, we get a really epic vocal section, then a nice melodic solo where the pace really picks up and then we get a super speedy final run through the chorus which is just absolutely glorious and one of my favorite moments on the album.

Staying on the speedy front, “King of Swords” is probably the heaviest and most guitar driven track on the album, and its main riff has more of a raw, classic metal edge to it, though the chorus is still super melodic and catchy as always, and the keyboards are still in full force. The folk elements from “Silver Wings” are back for this track, and add a bit of extra flavor, though overall the track is definitely one of the more pure power metal tracks on the album. Likewise, “Guardians At Heaven’s Gate” is easily the most traditional power metal track on the album and probably the fastest, as well as being more guitar driven than much of the album, while once again still having a fantastic chorus, which is obviously a theme on this album. After that comes “Symphony Satana” and as that name would imply, it’s the most symphonic track on the album and the choirs are also in full force, with some very epic choral sections especially in the second half, though it’s still a very speedy track and is certainly one of the more addictive tracks on the album. Next is “Starfall”, another more mid-paced track, that again has some heavy riffs during its very enjoyable verses, while the folk elements are prominent during the chorus, which is fantastic as always. The album closes with “Dragons Are Forever”, yet another very speedy track with strong symphonic influences, though anything some of the guitar melodies here reminds me more of Dragonforce, especially during the solo section, though obviously, the song is much catchier and more straight-forward than anything by that band.

I only left out one track during that rundown, that being “Fallen Heroes”. The reason for that isn’t because I think it’s a weak link. Instead, it’s because I think it stands out, both as being the only really slow track on the album, but also as possibly my favorite. Right from the opening keyboard notes and brief tease at the chorus it becomes obvious it’s the kind of track a certain band wishes they could have written first, as the keyboards are even more prominent than on any other track on the album and while it does very much fall into the formula of the aforementioned band, everything here just feels better and more epic, with those keyboards being more epic than usual, the choirs being fantastic, the verses being fun and that chorus being just absolutely spectacular, especially during the final run through.

Overall, War of Dragons is a fantastic power metal album and while Bloodbound has clearly been influenced heavily by other bands this time around, they have managed to take those influences and fit them in perfectly with their own sound, making for easily their best and most addictive release to date. In fact, I’d say this is one of my favorite power metal albums of this decade so far, and I’d highly recommended it for any fan of the genre, especially anyone who doesn’t mind a heavy use of keyboards and symphonic elements, as all songs here are amazing and some of the vocal melodies just have to be heard.

originally written for myglobalmind.com: http://myglobalmind.com/2017/02/11/bloodbound-war-dragons-review/

adg211288 Unholy Cross is the fourth full-length album from Swedish Power Metal band Bloodbound. Released in 2011 it is the first release from the band to feature the vocals of Patrik "Pata" Johansson, who is also the frontman for fellow Power Metal act Dawn of Silence. He replaces Urban Breed as Bloodbound’s vocalist however, so there’s big boots to fill here. Fortunately he’s a great power metal singer in his own right, and his voice is very fitting to Bloodbound’s music. He doesn’t sound that different to Edguy/Avantasia vocalist Tobias Sammet actually.

Kicking off the album in style is the excellent track, Moria, which has a great intro that builds up into the band’s Euro Power Metal style. Once the band gets going the sound is a staple of what the album is all about. It’s not the most intense power metal sound I ever came across, but neither does it stay too far into what some consider to be ‘flower metal’ territory. The sound of the instruments fits just right with the vocal, with the guitars being much more dominant in the sound than the keyboards, which should sit well with fans of USPM as well as Euro Power Metal. There is also a very strong influence from traditional heavy metal on the album as well, to the point that I can’t really decide if the release is more dominantly heavy or power metal. Either way, it’s a real cracker or a release that I think fans of the more classic metal sounds will lap up.

The writing on the album is pretty consistent, although naturally there are a few songs that stand as a cut above the others, such as Drop the Bomb and Reflections of Evil, but there is also the odd track which takes the smallest of dips in quality, such as The Ones We Left Behind. The writing is somewhat commercially inclined in that there are plenty of chorus where singing along is possible, and I can imagine them working well in the live environment.

Unholy Cross all in all is a fairly standard metal release, but a solid one. There is little variation to the formula of the songs, except every now and then you get one crop up with a faster tempo and makes the track sound heavier, although the production prevents it from becoming majorly heavier, as the band have gone for more of a retro sound to the album. The only drastically different track is Brothers of War, which is a ballad that appears late in the album. There are many great tracks on the album though despite its formulated nature and I’m left feeling very impressed with Bloodbound’s 2011 effort. In the thought of a straight up heavy/power metal album appeals to you, then you couldn’t go far wrong with Bloodbound’s Unholy Cross, as it is one of the best more ‘standard’ albums of its kind I’ve heard. Although the band doesn’t stray from any comfort zone, I kind of like that every now and then, rather than hear heavy/power metal bands trying to merge several genres together (especially if they try to merge with extremer forms of metal) and end up releasing a mess, which, sadly, can happen all too often.

(Originally written for Heavy Metal Haven, scoring 8.3/10)

Time Signature Drop the bomb...

Genre: retro powe rmetal

BloodBound are not afraid of sounding old-fashioned and dated, and that's what I like about them.

Their style combined early German power metal with more traditional heavy metal, and I think that this choice of retro style is a conscious one driven by a fascination with the metal of the previous generation.

They draw extensively on classic metal style riffage and the slightly neoclassical elements that Helloween flirted with back in the day and helped cement into power metal. The vocals are grandiose but also melodic and catchy - especially in the choruses. Patric Johanneson's voice is not as delicate as with many other power metal vocalists, which gives his voice a dimension of power and rock 'n' roll.

Cheesiness is a stable feature of power metal, and Bloodbound's music is also s bit cheesy, but not so much that it disturbs my overall experience of the music.

Not all bands can get away with a retro style, and just end up sounding like a hollow copy of the legends of the 80s. BloodBound are somewhat successful, as tracks like "Drop the Bomb", "Reflections of Evil", "Message from Hell", "In the Dead of Night" and the title track are pretty awesome, but other tracks like "Moria" and "Brothers of War" sound pretty uninspired.

All in all, a quite good retro album from very talented musicians, and I am sure that it will appeal to many fans of power metal and traditional metal.