Hailing from Bologna, Italy and bearing just a few lineup changes, TARCHON FIST, has been going strong for the past 14 years and, within their own, has kept true to their genre and identity doing naught to sway from those pure vivid waves of Heavy Metal signifying themselves by memorable guitar leads and wailing vocals. "Apocalypse" marks the band's senior album, and defines itself as a perfect addition to the band's sound never straying too far from their origins of Heavy Metal, yet still throwing in unexpected bouts of intrigue.

The album commences with the curious "Prologue to Apocalypse," a headbanging anthemic prelude to the album composed of chugging riffs, soliloquies, guttural screams, and an ambient segue. "Clash of the Gods" starts the album in its full essence, a bass introduces the band which comes in full force before the guitars divulge in leads and meet up for the verse. One of my favorite tracks on the album which also contains an odd addition is, "Last Human Strength," a power driven ode the undying yield of hope and human endeavor; the solo begins with the opening motif to Für Elise by Beethoven and quickly slips into a more appropriate solo for the genre before the songs return to the chorus. The album wraps itself within the cacophony of Metal and its gritty nature, and the carnage of melodic harmonies yet never finds favor in one over the other constantly incorporating the two ideas within each and every breadth such that every track finds itself brought together and housed by these two approaches-constructed in perfect balance-which truly marks the skill and growth of TARCHON FIST, even the most campy of songs, such as "Proud to be Dinosaurs" carries this motif and uses it well.

The duty of the musician, the author, the speaker is to convey explicitly and nuance in the most concise manner possible, and no exception is held within the construction of this album, from the veracious lyrics held sung in triumph and confidence to the guitar pairs which craft a melodic and powerful atmosphere as their tones meet up in the center and build upon one another, such as in "Evil Comes from Underground," "Titan of the Forest," and "Razor from the Abyss." The guitars are crunchy and powerful, yet also contained and subtle whereupon each composition seems constructed around this type of tone and drive. The drums drive each song with a penchant towards for heavy, loud, and fast whilst never swaying or missing a beat, not only creating the backbone of each song but also propelling the band.

TACHON FIST is a blend of shrilled and reaching vocals, crunchy and mesmerizing guitars, solid bass lines, and unwavering drums creating a larger than life soundscape housed within the veins of Heavy Metal. The band excels at versatility and drive crafting themselves a niche yet never do they vary themselves too much to repel fans of the genre or new listeners.