The Italian Power Metal scene grew a lot since the days that acts as DOMINE (one pioneer of Italy), RHAPSODY OF FIRE, DRAKKAR, LABYRINTH, ELVENKING and other started to show their musical efforts to the world. Today the genre is eroded due the wave of the melodic genres of Metal between 1995 and 2005, but some bands are still on such trail. One of them is EREGION, here with its third album, “Non Omnis Moriar”. As usual for Italian Power Metal acts, the influence of German Power Metal School and of NWOBHM acts as IRON MAIDEN is clear, with all those elements that everyone is used to (catchy melodies, choruses that are easy to sing along, good technical level), besides some different elements can be heard (as the Folk touches heard on “Ride Forth”) and a strong epic feeling (sometimes with the help of orchestrations of keyboards) fills the songs (in a way to bring things into ‘Tolkenian’ ambiences, especially when the name of Eärendil is spoken).

Ok, one can say that the quintet isn’t presenting something different from the usual, but the energy and honesty of their work can’t be denied. The sonority of the album is something with a crude Old School appeal similar to Power Metal of the 80s and even from NWOBHM (when recordings were done as the bands could do due the lack of money), so the overall feeling is of something organic, but understandable. It’s good, but could be better. The artwork of Alessandro Bragalini for the cover is really excellent, evoking all the epic/Tolken-like ambience of the band’s music. And Katija Di Giulio (of ETERNAL SILENCE), Claudia Beltrame (of SILENT ANGEL), and Stefano Vallino (of THE HEADLESS GHOST) appear as guests on the vocals.

Musically, even with tons of musical clichés of the genre, the songs of “Non Omnis Moriar” sound honest and surely will earn the quintet some new fans. But the best ones for a first visit to the album are “Kingdom of Heaven” (a song filled with weight and energy, with very good vocals and backing vocals, especially on the catchy chorus), “Ride Forth” (its melodic hooks are hard to resist to, with very good guitar riffs and arrangements into such NWOBHM sheath), “The Rival Kings” (this one is heavier due the excellent rhythmic artillery from bass guitar and drums), “Earendil the Mariner” (a deep and melancholic moment filled with an epic feeling, with fine bass guitar arrangements), “Earendil Star” (wow, what great melodies are shown on this one, with very good drumming), and “Blood Brothers” will do the needed presentations.

Well, even so cliché, “Non Omnis Moriar” is a good album, but EREGION still holds some potential to be musically hidden, so let’s hope they’ll unleash it in a near future.