STORMWARRIOR — Heathen Warrior (review)

STORMWARRIOR — Heathen Warrior album cover Album · 2011 · Power Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
Time Signature
Og metallen hæves til slag...

Genre: power metal

Imagine if Helloween and Running Wild fell in love and mated, and had a love child, and their offspring would convert to Nordic Ásatrú, then the result might well be Stormwarrior.

Stormwarrior's style is German power metal with very clear influences from German metal legends Running Wild and Helloween, combining the formers more traditional metal-inspired power metal style with the latter's epic-sounding power metal style. And if you, like me, have a weakness for 80s Helloween and Running Wild, then this combination of influences ain't bad at all.

Stylistically, Stormwarrior combine the epic choruses and the uplifting energy of European power metal (prevalent in tracks like "Heathen Warrior", "Bloode to Bloode" og "Ravenhearte") with more traditional metal riffage and galloping basslines (prevalent in tracks like "Ride of Asgard", den Iron Maiden-inspirerede "Heirs to the Fighte" og "Fyre & Ice"), and then there are guitar harmonies galore, which is something I have always been a fan of.

Stormwarrior appear to be very fascinated with viking lore and Norse Mythology, many of their songs focusing on vikings, the glory of battle, Nordic gods and other Norse mythical and mythological creatures - and, needless to say, this goes well with the whole atmosphere of power metal.

With the lyrical content and the pseudo-Middle-English spelling in song titles, this is larger-than-life power metal, and that is how it should be appreciated. And, what is more, it is very well done larger-than-life power metal, which has all the elements that make brilliant German power metal (even the singer's German accent adds a sense of authenticity). Maybe it takes some listens to get used to his voice, which sounds a bit like a mix of Kai Hansen, Biff Byford and Mark Shelton - but, I really like the strange quality his voice has.

If you like German power metal with lots of energy and a relatively low degree of cheesiness but a high dose of larger-than-lifeness, then I think you will enjoy this album immensely.

(review originally posted on progfreak.com)
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