WARDRUM from Thessaloniki, Hellas isn't exactly a new-comer, I will say that, it's more a new hope yet confirmed in the Power Metal genre, indeed after their superb, however still underrated album "Desolation" in 2012, I already personally ranked this band very up high in my shortlist of faithful keeper of the sacred Steel secrecy, or I will describe the band as the best specimen in the fierce guild of Latin Melodic Power Metal.

For their third full length album those highly talented musicians are coming back another time in a full-blown mode with "Messenger" unleashing some of the purest bombastic Power Metal ("Vengeance" or "The Messenger") but also another side of their sound in a more controlled and less furious kind of Melodic Metal like the incredibly inspired "Phoenix" / "Travel Far Away" or "Red Rubis Heart" with a matured sense of composition instead of focusing on the cheese gimmicks.

The US Metal elements are rather obvious, you'll named it: a good dose of mandatory sharp guitar riffs under a delicate precision alongside with an effective rhythmic section embellished by a very high range vocals provided by the skilled Yannis Papadopoulos (that's also belong to the ranks of the great Prog-Metal merchants UNTIL RAIN) in fine shape, thanks to the smart structures that gave him the perfect spot where he's shining in extensive brightness with a remarkable technique, displaying an absolute supremacy, a controlled pitch and a really distinctive inflection with sheer class.

Their emphatic harmonious style is clearly influenced by the legendary American acts of the late 80's like CRIMSON GLORY / QUEENSRYCHE or SACRED OATH, I will bet that they are proud to be old school, and I should say that they can compete fearless with any of the new bands coming out recently and playing the same demanding kind of Heavy Metal like Brazilian's RYGEL / ARRAYAN PATH from Cyprus or Germany's WE ARE LEGEND. The Kostas Scandalis' production is a plenary perfection and reveal a real mastery in the recording method, a great point to promote as the album sounds like a million bucks disc.

Only little low point, is the last track in the running order called "Four Season", which isn't bad at all, anyway with its strong Mediterranean feel that is maybe a somewhat too predictable for a Greek band, and definitively not the best way to close this recommended album for all the lovers of Epic Power Metal at its best.