Here we have a great example of that often ridiculed but even more often entertaining genre; Power Metal! MARAUDER, for the last twenty-six years, have been plying their trade as an understated Greek exponent of this genre. So, as ever; we expect rousing choruses, lyrics for the true metal knights among us and guitar lines that are just as singalong as the choruses are. We expect; MARAUDER deliver!

One look at the track listing and you will soon come to expect to have a great deal of fun when you spin this record. "Son Of Thunder" opens the show with a lasting battle-cry that will rally the armies of headbanging, fist-raising nutters. Vocalist Nikos Antonoyiannikis has the kind of leather-lunged singing voice that was tailor-made for this kind of music and the long-running guitar duo of George Sofronas and Andreas Tsaousis hit out with all the riffs you could hope for, especially when "Metal Warriors" comes in, just waiting to be chanted by a festival crowd.

There's a similarity to be drawn with RUNNING WILD where "Spread Your Wings" is concerned, which is not a bad thing at all. At first glance here, the high vocal harmony might seem a slight bit off but it somehow manages to add to the already considerable charm of the song. "Dark Legion" then keeps things moving forward at a satisfying mid-tempo march that really helps show off the guitar leads that are scattered across this track. Yet more cheese smothered lyrics and a backing choir later and you have one of the best Power Metal songs of the year.

"The Fall" is definitely one of those songs where the guitar work is just as memorable and identifiable as the lyrics and vocal melodies are. Sometimes, even the fans of the most extreme metal on the planet must need time to reel in the complexities of modern metal and enjoy the sounds of a much simpler era, when a catchy riff, a good chorus and an awesome, melodic guitar solo were good enough to gain you vast swathes of fans.

That's perhaps the beauty of this album and of the band that has created it; there's a solid dependability to MARAUDER that reminds me of bands like SAXON and DIAMOND HEAD; sure, they're not inventing the wheel but they make it roll better than most!Production  8