Good day Metal Temple. Today I've got my hand on a powerful Power/Trash Metal album, "Times of Pride and Peril" by HOLY GRAIL. This American band is giving us some great material once again. Since their debut in 2009, the ex-members of WHITE WIZZARD are giving us their 3^rd full-length album.

This 47 minute album is really up to the task; the Thrash metal voice of James-Paul is on point. He owns the music all through the album, his voice is really the defining factor of this band. The musicianship is near perfect, I think a bit more work on production to have an even better sound would have improved this album a lot. The sound is not as sharp as it could be.

The whole album is really high octane Trash metal, fast pace and heavy riffs with a hair metal style of voice. "Crystal King", "Waste Them All Away" and "Sudden Death" starts off the album in heavy fashion, full speed and in your teeth. The relentless beat and high pitch voice of James-Paul will hook you up right away.

"Those Who Will Remain", "Descent Into the Maelstorm" and "No More Heroes" seems to be more based of a great hook and circle around that. More in a Symphonic style, but still hit as hard if you ask me. The song writing is incredible and stands out really on those 3 songs especially.

The album ends on a high note, "Black Lotus". This song seems to be a dip in the Power / Melodic Death for HOLY GRAIL. It really pays off by giving us an amazing 9 minute 30 opus to close the album in full force.

The album is the culmination of experience that HOLY GRAIL soaked in on tour for the last 5-6 years. It really paid off and gave us this great piece of Metal. If the progression curve of this band continues this way, they will be a band to watch in the years to come for sure.<