ONWARD hasn't been too active in the latter years. Like most of them they have suffered from the pandemic.  But now they are back. Or should I say, he is back, as all the instruments have been played and recorded by band leader Toby Knapp. His list of former bands is longer than my arm would allow if I had all their names tattooed on it. This just shows us how much experience he has gained in all those years.

ONWARD itself has been active since 2000, and "Of Epoch and Inferno" is the fifth full length album they have released. And it is safe to say that this is a real guitarist orientated album. Of course, the riffs are good and plentiful, and the underground of bass and drums is functional, but this is guitar masturbation in musical style. Is that a problem?

Not in my book, as the Power Metal based music has been constructed in such a way that the songs still remain the centre of focus, accompanied by the very competent vocals done by Robert Van War. He fills it all in, and fits all he does like a glove. What I do miss is a little bit of an analogue feel. The sound as well as the music are very digital. That's okay, but because the drums and bass are quite basic, it can feel a bit too much at times. Which is a pity.

Of course, there are exceptions to that rule. "Ring Around the Rosary" has a very distinctive ANNIHILATOR feel, but with a shouting Bruce Dickinson on vocals. And this is the kind of song that benefits from a certain kind of digital vibe. The staccato guitar riffs will entice that in droves. What does get affected by that digital feel is the sound. The same goes, to a lesser extent, for "Neptune's Revenge" and "Divided We Fall". They lift the album to a higher level.

If you are a lover of a real guitar album, my criticism will pass you by in an instant, as this really is bloody good guitar work and sound. And, like I said, with decent vocals on top. But if you, like me, also want a bit of emotion and humanitarian feel to your music, this might just sound too sterile. The only one to decide which is your choice is you, the reader of this article. And I urge to listen to ONWARD and "Of Epoch and Inferno". It really isn't bad at all.