Review: Crystal Throne, Powermönger, Avaland, Unchained Vengeance (Matt Bladen & Mateusz Stefanow)

Crystal Throne - Chantry Of Sacrifice (Self Released) [Matt Bladen]

The third band reviewed recently with Crystal in their name, but where as the other two were power and melodic metal this one is much proggier in its delivery.

With inspiration of Symphony X, Queensryche and Crimson Glory, all bands who love a concept and Crystal Throne are also drawn to a conceptual piece which is what Chantry Of Sacrifice is. A sci-fi record set in 5150, where the last human in the universe has to try and save Earth by altering the course of history.

Crystal Throne manage to tell their conceptual storyline through progressive metal town changes, genres shifts but also a lot of classic heavy metal in there as well as the twin guitar assault attacks, the bottom end gallop through every changing rhythms and a mixture of melodic moments and heavy cinematic soundscapes.

Guitar fans will find a lot to like on this record, it's got loads of shreddy moments even on the slower number such as Electrical Savior, there's a definite Queensryche influence on Walls Of The Silent Mourn and Insurgent Outcry while Antagonists features some female vocals to flesh out the characters.

This second album from the French band skillfully mix classic heavy with prog metal, another Crystal, another gem of a record. 7/10

Powermönger - Powermönger (Jawbreaker Records) [Mateusz Stefanow]

Some bands try to reinvent the wheel, and succeed, whilst others fail. Powermönger instead threw that idea in the bin and went back to 80s-era speed metal with their self-titled EP.

The self-titled title track is an immediate punch to the face, muddy mixing with a very subtle reverb effect on the vocals, with guitar riffs that slice through the mix much like a shark fin piercing through choppy waves. Powermönger know what they’re here to provide, and they provide it in bucketloads.

Leather Legions will be Powermönger’s moshpit song, it is fast-paced, punk-influenced, and reminds me heavily of Bonded By Blood by the Bay Area legends Exodus. Vocals steal the show here, raising the pitch up, before crashing down again.

Hellfighter is the song of the drummer, prioritising the percussion over the guitar in the mix, with those edgy satanic 80s metal lyrics that drew in all those oldheads back when. Off The Menu is shrieky and melodic, not to mention the fantastic percussive fills that continue the punk influences and gallop onwards to fist-pumping, head-banging heaven.

Order Of The Lich is heavy, thrashy and razor sharp, and personally I find it to be the high-point of Powermonger’s return to the 80s soundscape. Speed metal fans will immediately spot Max Overdrive for what it is- an Acid cover! Imitation may be the highest form of flattery, but this cover is not imitative, it stands on it’s own and shows respect to the dearly beloved greats of the scene.

Powermönger is a strong EP, it may not be the most unique addition to the scene, but it absolutely succeeds at calling back to what speed metal was, and what made it great. 7/10

Avaland - Chemical Poetry (Storytium SAS) [Mateusz Stefanow]

Chemical Poetry is the newest album of metal opera by Avaland, and right off the bat I was expecting something akin to Pavarotti, Price or Bocelli, but rather than that this album is more of a storyline with power metal musicianship, something in the vein of Ayreon.

Opening with When the Night Comes Alive, my immediate thoughts were that Avaland sound like a more mature Visions Of Atlantis, with grandiose sound design, with power metal lyrics and themes. Soaring synth segments lift the song up high, before we move on to the next track, Alchemy. Some complaints and weaknesses of this album start to crop up here, but I will touch upon these later.

Beauties And Beasts feels like it belongs in a 90s animated movie scene in a bar strangely enough, compounded by the back-up vocal sections, This speakeasy vibe is further continued with the blending of synths and guitar, and by the varying vocal styles explored in this song in particular. To Fool A Witch features Helle Bohdanoca doing growls, and Adrienne Mien, who are both super talented vocalists and a definite boon for this album.

As you may have pieced together already, this album feels rather bloated at 63 minutes runtime. It has definite strong points, but it is a diamond in the rough, and like this figurative diamond it requires the trimming of the chaff to highlight those strengths. 

Some of the songs, like Fate, or Alchemy do not bring much to the overall album, and have such repetitive sections that feel like they drag out the album and reduce the focus on what Avaland were going for. 5/10

Unchained Vengeance - Unbound And Unforgiving (Nameless Graves Records) [Matt Bladen]

Emerging from Portland, Oregon is new heavy metal act Unchained Vengeance, who combine two heavy metal veterans in former Vicious Rumors vocalist Nick Courtney and multi-instrumentalist Nick Wusz of Dolven/Travellers Rest.

This debut record is an ode to classic heavy metal, that features twin axe harmonies, powerful vocals and epic scores where there's acoustic beginnings that give way to epic theatrics on Only Ruins Remain, one of the ten "tales of warriors, conquest, revenge and redemption" that this album features.

Though one of them is an interlude which features dungeon synth musician Fen Walker to bring a cinematic tone to the record, but Unbound And Unforgiving is hinged on classic metal, from the swaggering The Whisper Of Sorrowbane, through the galloping Warrior Heart.

Unchained Vengeance then is a new project in veteran hands and this debut shows that I'm spades. 7/10