There is no beauty in war, no glamour. Warfare is unforgiving, brutal and beats with a heart of malice. Yet underneath the platitudes many continue to speak of its esoteric aesthetical aspects that still inspire artists across the spectrum - from painters and photographers to the immortal words of Tolstoy and Hemingway.

In the world of Metal we too are more than familiar with bands whose conceptual approaches stem from the emotively triggering subject of conflict. As the testing, bravado catalysing features found their way onto the tapes of influential outfits in the likes of IRON MAIDEN, SAXON and ACCEPT, they invited many a more to bear arms and take to the front line with amplified marches of epic Heavy Metal. CIVIL WAR are most definitely that type of band - the name alone is grounds for such an assumption - and on their latest effort "The Last Full Measure" they deliver yet more of their characteristic, bayonet wielding sound  - even if it is just a re-enactment of a battle already fought.

CIVIL WAR storm the hills with "Road To Victory", an electronically-tinged, fast-paced battle cry propelled by a thick 16^th note riff that is sure to shred the oncoming troops. The illustrious opener also introduces us to the band's particular mix of Symphonic, Power and Classic Heavy Metal that manages to sound both familiar and foreign at the same time; making you question whose side they're on. The follow-up "Deliverance" goes on to offer some of the same formula but with additional gunpowder in the pickups and a hook that should have an entire stadium ready to rush the enemy gates.

Things then get a little bit more experimental and playful as the band treats us to "Savannah" and "Tombstone". Both tracks stand out of the line simply due to their not-so-subtle peculiarities. "Savannah" - the female-centred number of the record - relates the tale of the heroine in a rather atypical, pop-influenced cadence that whilst sounding a touch campy also adds an element of uniqueness to the band's sound. "Tombstone" goes on to introduce a folk-influenced story-centred track that combines the band's already familiar riffs with accordion driven barn-dance interludes.

Once story time is over, the mortars begin to spray the battlefield with shells as things get a little heavier and CIVIL WAR march forth with such Metal anthems as "A Tale That Never Should Be Told" (which sees the band expand their melodic repertoire with some exotic scales) "Gangs Of New York" and the explosive "Gladiator" - the latter bringing the action to its peak.

Frankly, I was somewhat taken aback by this record - mostly because I couldn't quite put my finger on it. At certain points I considered it to be too obvious and gimmicky in its intentions, but after another listen I found the band to be rather sensible with their implementation of the electronic elements, their musical prowess, songwriting and overall direction; and for finding a certain cosy niche between SABATON and GLORYHAMMER. The production on the record is top notch - even though at times the instrumental mix comes off as a bit too busy. Regardless, it sounds good; which is in no small part due to the performances of the band - particularly guitarists Petrus and Rikard, who shred their way through the record without (what it seems) as taking a single break.

Overall - hold onto your 'dog tags' and don't forget to write home, for this is a war saga of epic proportions. With "The Last Full Measure", CIVIL WAR once again bring the pages of the history books to life. Yes, the sound of the canons may be routine, but they nonetheless fire with power, even if they do occasionally miss the target.