Epic Metal has a rich history, incorporating a lot of traditional aspects along with a sense of cultural pride. Many look to the early North American offerings from MANOWAR and OMEN as a starting point of the movement, and it appears to gravitate now to more European nations - Greece and Italy in particular. HAGEL STONE is a quartet from Ferrara, Emilia-Romanga in Italy, and on their debut full-length effort "Where Is Your God Now?" present a slightly progressive form of epic metal through these 10 tracks.

Overall, the band do perform in a classic, mid-tempo marching motion, gathering up the troops through a symbiosis of cultural guitar riffs and matching keyboard parts while Dario's commanding, multi-octave range will remind most of Eric Adams and early Rob Halford. "Razzo Rosso" is the only all Italian sung cut, as the 9 other English driven numbers deal in fantasy, life, and man versus nature word stories. "Under the Ice" as a power ballad is emotionally uplifting, natural piano and hooks throughout carrying the arrangement and hopefully an area that HAGEL STONE continue to explore with subsequent records.

When the band choose to get a little speedier say on "The Avenger", the melody still remains a high priority, the tempo reasonable as Alessandro drives home key power riffs through proper fill/ double bass work. My favorite track "Army of Chaos" has a lot of theatrical qualities to the swirling keyboards and darker/ epic chord structures, again bringing to mind ICED EARTH and OMEN.

I've heard many place this band as a tribute to MANOWAR done Italian style, and they wouldn't be far removed from the truth. I believe HAGEL STONE does have some darker and progressive qualities that keep their sound fresh and interesting. Check this out if epic Metal stirs your soul.