Tales say astonishing power metal records only come exclusively from Europe. American power quartet IMMORTAL GUARDIAN says enough for that with their forthcoming album "Age of Revolution". Parading complex mixtures of different musical styles, big melodies, technical rhythms and unconventional combos, this album is specifically created to blow your mind, drop your jaw and melt your face.

The album is a ten-track, 48-minute long treat of epicness, explosiveness, intensity, and even insanity at times. This album managed to create some of the most unconventional combination of styles while keeping a power metal spirit. The most notable and craziest insertions I'm mentioning are death metal kind of drum breakdowns and blast beats, solid jazz, guttural vocals, and neoclassical guitars. Imagine those elements combined (minus the jazz and plus a sky-soaring singing) and you get the album's fourth song "Trail of Tears". The song has a jazzy intro and also has sudden changes in tempo and time signature that will somehow remind you how Dream Theater's "The Miracle and the Sleeper" became a legendary song. The jazz part in "Never to Return" comes in from out of nowhere as if trying to duel DERDIAN and their own version of a jazz solo in their song "Elohim". In terms of anthemic melodies, "Aeolian" is a standout. The combo of harsh and clean vocals worked perfectly blending well with the track's aggressive yet sophisticated musicality.

Cody's work on the drums and harsh vocals is also a highlight and a big asset of the album. His titanic blast beats and his share of death growls are mainly responsible for the record's overall aggressive appeal. These of course are supported by Thad's deep and literally chest-pounding bass lines. The vocal performance is unquestionable and exceptional too. Carlos' singing is a real deal specially his sky-high notes. Not only that, he can also sing emotional and mellow tunes as featured in the song "Fall". Among all performances in this album, the guitars and keys are most stellar. Behind these instruments is only one man - Gabriel Guardian. He shreds neoclassical guitar solos a'la Yngwie Malmsteen, and masterfully plays the keyboards in a very elegant manner. We know a lot of artists can do this, but what made him so special is that he can do those AT THE SAME TIME. He is simply crazy talented. One can say that he is an absolute mad genius on his instruments. Trivia: He hails from the same state where legends Dimebag Darell and Stevie Ray Vaughan came from.

Summing up everything, the album as a whole is a gallery of different musical styles blended together to make a complex and unique face of power metal. The album is very progressive and technical, while keeping a solid power metal ground. It's so difficult to pick a favorite, really. The production is also excellent, the songs sound as if it were meant to be played in large stadiums. Each band members contributed masterful performances that will surely make a permanent mark in the band's legacy for the years to come. I can say easily that this is the best album I heard for this year so far. This is one of those masterpieces that will not only jump up the band, but also its whole genre. With this kind of performance, IMMORTAL GUARDIAN has a sure spot in the bright future of power metal.

The album deserves a 20/10 rating, but yeah, of course that's not possible, so the best I can give is 10/10. If you want to add another opus magnum to your collection, go ahead and buy the record.