A new RAM album...finally! The band has been around for nearly a decade but Lightbringer - out in mid-June in Europe - is only their follow-up full-length release. With 2003's Sudden Impact EP RAM lit their fire in Europe's traditional Metal circles, while 2005's Forced entry long-play debut confirmed there's something good in these Swedish warriors. We had to wait for additional four years for Lightbringer to bring us...
...RAM's (now) known blend of classic Metal straight from the JUDAS PRIEST, MERCYFUL FATE and IRON MAIDEN fountain. Still, it would be rather unfair to judge the Swedish outfit as copycats; Lightbringer supports such a final summary, too. Dressed in an '80s' suede, the album also exposes RAM's own mark in the guitars/vocals interaction, without - of course - presenting something innovative or breathtaking but with such a hardened class and vicious dignity that you won't avoid banging your head to the wall to the hearing of roaring Metal tracks like e.g. Lightbringer, Ghost Pilot (MI II) and Titan. One other thing - I guess - separating RAM from the rest of the 'Swedish Metal renaissance' compatriots is that there's some evil lurking 'dark epic' feeling in some of their songs (e.g. In Victory or Suomussalmi (The Few Of Iron)), suitable for also summoning fans of the - so called - 'true' epic Metal field.
The vocals of Harry Granroth prove to be an ace in the band's sleeve...again. His performance is powerful and convincing; he can sound evil where needed but also boasts horsepower in certain song parts. Acting like the chameleon offspring of Rob Halford, King Diamond and Geoff Tate/Midnight, he shall nail you down with his adequacy in tunes like Blood God and The Elixir; while not flirting with total originality, Harry seems to put 100% of his heart and soul into the making of the resulting atmosphere, hence - you'll verify - Lightbringer smells iron and leather and vice from miles away.
RAM is a cruel clan of metalheads; In Victory they make you raise your fist, while Prelude To Death and Awaking The Chimaera bring on such theatrical animosity like you've grown in hell. with a production that comes straight from the 80s in most tracks, but with some mainstream/polished touch here and there, the harmony breaks and the cross-firing leads - apart from approving the Swedish mastery; we've seen it again happening with WOLF or ENFORCER or IN SOLITUDE this season - shall take you to a (re)new level of Metal worship. Imagine RAM performing live at an underground Metal club with the smell of sadistic and primitive unholy music striking at your face...and spitting on your grave...
Currently under AFM Records' umbrella, RAM is on the quest for some wider recognition. All of us 0the traditional metallers0 really wish they'll fulfill their own goals; albums like Lightbringer are destined to conquer our minds and ears if permitted by today's strict standards. Metal to the bone? Well...hell, yeah!

P.S.: Now listening to Suomussalmi (The Few Of Iron) again, I think this 9-minute track includes everything RAM stands for in the Metal music industry...