INSANIA was formed way back in 1992 in Stockholm, Sweden but were pretty much inactive from the mid 2000's until the middle of the 2010's. This is their first album since 2021's ''V (Praeparatus Supervivet)'' . INSANIA is one of those Power Metal bands I have heard bits and pieces about in the last few years, like FAIRYLAND, FELLOWSHIP and MAJESTICA so I have been chomping at the bit to listen to these bands for a while and I have finally the time to do it.

I honestly thought this was a newer band but I was pleasantly surprised to see them as veterans of the genre. When they started back in the late nineties, well their was a glut of bands in the genre overflowing, especially in Europe so they got lost in the shuffle per se. It reminds me of bands from the early Thrash Metal scene that were completely forgotten amidst the Big Four and bands like TESTAMENT and EXODUS. So many bands got influenced be the first wave of European Power Metal (RHAPSODY, STRATOVARIUS, HAMMERFALL, EDGUY), that never had the time to shine on the biggest of stages and INSANIA is one of those bands. They wanted to breakthrough the glass ceiling of the Power Metal genre but it wasn't an easy task to do but glad they have finally gotten the respect they deserved. In all honesty, they have in a sense become better than some of the original bands from back in the genesis.

INSANIA brings back longer and more intricate songs, we have three songs clocking at more 7 minutes (and one near the 7 minute threshold as well) and they let the instruments shine and that's a added bonus because bands have forgotten and sometimes it's paint by numbers. Especially on ''No One's Hero''  we have the rest of the band that really shines and the production value does help out a ton obviously. I love to hear long drawn out solos and instrumental passages and they are a plentiful on this opus. Some bands have become stale and songs are never too long, clocking maybe at 5 minutes and it's intro, chorus and it's all she wrote (I won't name names obviously). I am quite surprised yet overjoyed in seeing a band that takes some added risks like this and it's a breath of fresh air in a genre that has become a bit stale at times, but the new generation of bands have become less complacent thankfully.

This band really reminds me of the earlier albums by AVANTASIA, well before it became a Metal Opera. It was the pet project of Tobias Sammet from EDGUY and his approach was so different from his main band. He brought some joy, some chorus, a sense of wonder which was lacking at the time and INSANIA brings it to that level once again. They have not forgotten the past yet they are carving their own path, legacy in the genre and I am glad bands like this still exist and bring back the fun of yesteryear and this album is probably the best Power Metal album I have heard this year and solid contender for album of the year.