During the golden age of vinyl discs (the known LP), it wasn't common to have albums lasting more than 40 minutes (and lesser than 30 until SLAYER came with "Reign in Blood" on 1986), as LED ZEPPELIN dared to do with "Physical Graffiti" (a double studio album that lasts 82:15, but they were the band of the unusual). Even on CD ranges above 70 minutes, it wasn't usual as well, because the producer had the idea that studio albums lasting more than 1 hour could become unbearable for the fans, even the fanatic ones (some would sleep at the middle of the album). Of course, DREAM THEATER usually does such thing, but they have a different public (and are not as accessible as some want, although a masterpiece as "Images and Words" is short in time lengths). But SCULFORGE dared to do such thing with their first album, "Intergalactic Battle Tunes... Stories from Behind the Dark Side of the Moon to the Milky Way and Beyond!".

In reality, there are many short instrumental songs and intros (that will be left out of the review, if it's needed), so "Intergalactic Battle Tunes..." (of course it must be shortened, no one is crazy to write the whole name more than once) is an album that presents the usual Speed/Heavy Metal that is usual for German acts of the genre since the 80s, presented by the band as a mix: it has a modern outfit due the instrumental tunes and approach, but the music reminds something that HELLOWEEN did on "Walls of Jericho" days (melodic, with refined instrumental arrangements, but with a clear aggressive appeal, as heard on "Spacehull"). Even being so long, this album shows some tasteful moments, something that classifies their work as amazing, full of life and energy. The works on studio made "Intergalactic Battle Tunes..." an album that uses an updated version of the usual model for Speed Metal albums: clean and defined, but bearing an amount of weight that's amazing, thus creating an excellent balance between the melodic and aggressive sides of the quartet's music. Yes, it's an excellent result.

"Intergalactic Battle Tunes..." was conceived to be a conceptual album, so it explains a lot the number of intros and incidental themes (there are 12 of them), but the songs are really excellent. But moments as "Lost in the Warp" (as the band evades to overload the instrumental technique, this one bears charming melodies and excellent guitar riffs, duets and arrangements), "For the Omnisavior" (another great moment of the guitars, but with vocals showing very good changes on the tunes and some very good choruses), "Spacehull" (this one shows some contrasts between faster and slower tempos, and a more Thrash Metal-like orientation in some moments and NWOBHM guitar duets, but with bass guitar and drums working in the usual German Speed Metal way), "The Sovereign Protects" and "Slave to the Machine" (excellent faster songs with melodic and heavier contrasts and great choruses), "A New Hope" (lovely melodies and a tendency in a more Power Metal-like orientation appears during the chorus), "Glorious" (that QUEEN-like backing vocals and choirs are always a great feature, but the melodies are hard to resist), "Kings of the Battlefield" and "Follow Me" (another excellent set of choruses that hard to forget is presented in the middle of the excellent tempos shifts can be heard on these ones), "Heart of Darkness" (another moment filled with Power Metal-like elements and excellent instrumental parts, but with amazing vocals), and the funny "Sculforge Inn" creates a really tasteful and hard to resist album.

Well, "Intergalactic Battle Tunes..." is SCULFORGE's first album, there a young band, but they really have a lot of to offer. And personally, I bet a lot on their work. Just listen and see how precious their music is.