For many of us Heavy Metal is more than a musical choice, it is a lifestyle. A path to forge whilst being guided by the gods of metal. Guitar in one hand, beer in the other. Clad in dragons, flames, the whole shebang. Hailing from Athens, Greece BLACKSUN aim to reach back in time, to the forefront of Heavy Metal, and bring it kicking, screaming, and head-banging into the 21st century.

The opening of the first track "An Illusion Thought For Life" sets the precedent for this album. Classic Heavy Metal, sprinkled with a thin garnish of the finest musical cheese. The vocals of Michael Apostolakis will have you singing from the heart, and wearing a shit-eating grin. Even if the vocal style is clearly hampering to fans of the genre, it is reassuring to hear a little touch of vocal expansion on a few of the tracks here

Musically this album has its feet placed squarely in the classics of Heavy Metal. Particular nods to the NWOBHM-movement can be heard in "Fight of Forever". This is about as far as a song should go before it crosses into ballad territory. Think of it as IRON MAIDEN mashed together with SAXON. Galloping riffs that are backed up with a tight rhythm section.

Now I've yammered on about how classic sounding this album is: that is unfortunately also its downfall. As much as these songs scream out and try to envelop you in their riffs, without modern production this falls flat. There is little dynamics from song to song and even in terms of building to crescendos it is few and far between.

This album shows a few signs of something special, alas the production niggles are what is hampering it from being something much more.