DAMIEN THORNE is a Heavy/Speed Metal band based out of Chicago, Illinois, USA. Formed in 1983, the band has released four previous full-length albums. "Soul Stealer" is their fifth, and contains ten tracks. The title track leads off the album. A solitary bass riff leads to the main sound. I hear more Classic/Power Metal in the song than anything else, especially considering the vocal delivery, which is high in rage and thick with vibrato. It's a little thin overall however, and a bit tentative. The guitar solo does thicken out the sound somewhat. "Hell to Pay" is quicker in pace but still not full enough. I hear a strong NWOBHM influence in this track, during times when the songwriting was kept simple. "Dark Mission" really slows things down and is stripped to about as few layers as possible. I have yet to hear much keyboard presence, to my chagrin. The interlude section is nice however.

"Hell Rider" hears the bass playing in unison with the guitar riff. Vocal shouts in the chorus accent the song, and the keys have more of a role than in previous tracks. I like the soft touch of the opening in "Tortured Dreams" and the simulated strings and piano. I suppose you could think of this as a power ballad of sorts. He laments to "what lives inside me, you'll never know." Eventually it turns to more of the power side of the band and the dancing bass riff is noteworthy. "Riding to Glory" has a fuller sound, mostly due the use of major chords and sustained keyboards that resonate with that old school kind of sound. This song has more thought out writing. "Remember the Fallen" is another slower song with an introspective message. Once again the dancing bass riff does a nice job of bridging the main guitar riffs and various sections of the song. A little more of this would go a long way.

"Trapped" has a sound that doesn't quite connect well in key. The vocals in the verses are pitchy and do not seem to match the riff in a musical way. Some of the guitar sections are well done however. "Tale of a King" is the closing song. It definitely smacks of IRON MAIDEN and features some more complicated writing for me which I like. Overall while I enjoyed some of the tracks, the sound as a whole was just too thin. With some more beef it would have enhanced a decent baseline they presented, but they have to find a way to keep it fresh.