HETMAN is a prolific Ukrainian-based heavy metal band that has made many records since the early 90s. Front man Jarek "Hetman" Hertmanowski has returned with new band members to release a brand new full-length album, "Black Heart."  The album, perhaps best described as a call to action to protect humanity and nature, is a bold, energetic effort, filled with audacious, dramatic melodies, rolling drums, and emotional vocals. Individual songs (as well as the album as a whole) blend and transition between large, swooning heavy metal guitar riffs, and classicist, romantic guitar strumming and plucking, invoking the memory of everything from the Trans-Siberian Orchestra to folk music. The result is an entertaining, enjoyable, album that has something for everyone.

The album opens with "Rusty Nail," immediately drawing listeners in with a hard and heavy guitar riff. Intense drumming, heavy guitar, and great vocals give way to a soft and slow melody, a transition the band makes again and again throughout the album. The quiet parts, where guitars are plucked in isolation, create an emotional space, which is quickly contrasted with the dramatic and overpowering metal that comes crashing back into the song. "Black Heart" comes in with sweeping, full sounds, building in grandeur and emotion and heavy vocals, until peeling back to heavy drums, and plucking guitars. The sound is stark, practically naked, creating an intimate feeling in contrast to the heavy vocals. Some songs, like "Value," or "White Thread, Black Needle," are especially reminiscent of metal ballads.

But this brings us to the song "Wings." This song rocks. The wailing guitars, the throaty vocals, everything- it all comes together in headbanging perfection. "WINGS" by itself makes this album worth checking out, but while you're here, you're sure to find a few things to fall in love with. This album will be especially loved by metal fans who want their metal emotional, dramatic, and gorgeous.  HETMAN delivers.