ADAMANTIS is a Massachusetts based quartet formed in 2016. Hailed as one of the rising stars in Power Metal, they have released a four song EP via their new label, Cruz Del Sur Music. "The Daemon's Strain" was issued on June 10, 2022.

The disc opens with "Storm the Walls." The guitars have a nice chugging rhythm and the bass/drums build a solid foundation for the heavy riff. There is only one person credited for vocals, so I'm not sure if they layered his voice for the choir or brought in a number of friends to help beef up the vocal impact. Either way, those voices combine for a nice broad sound that just kind of punches you in the face.

"Dark Moon Goddess" starts more along the lines of a possible power ballad, though it is a bit too fast-paced. There is a fantasy, almost minstrel-style feel to the intro. The vocals are very Bruce Dickinson styled. The chorus especially has a very similar tone to his, but there is a more Power Metal sound to the music underneath the voice. Is this what it would sound like if Dickinson fronted HELLOWEEN? The mind boggles on this thought.

"Thundermark" was on the first EP from 2018. I can see why they brought this track forward onto this EP. It is a really cool Power Metal track with some pretty impressive Prog Metal vibes. The rhythm is frenetic and full of driving fury. The riff is heavy. The vocals lighten things up with the time spent in the higher register. There is some grit thrown in on a few select notes to emphasize the heaviness of the song, but it is used sparingly, making it a treat, rather than a constant.

The album wraps with the thirteen-minute epic title track. Here, you get all the elements of what ADAMANTIS brings to the fight. You get sludge and prog and power and symphonic and cinematic metals all melded into one glorious alloy. Opening with a heroic theme, the song shifts through dual guitar attacks to slower riffs with a choir overlaid. I do not know who the female vocalist is, but she has an incredibly ethereal tone, leaning towards a classical sound. The male and female vocal interaction is quite dynamic and works well in the song.

ADAMANTIS is one of the better "throwback" Power Metal bands. They really reanimate the 80s and 90s scene. Rather than just show the influences, they provide an evolution of what that sound should be in the new age. They have updated the sound and made the old new again.