IRON BRIGADE were formed in 2018 and they are from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. After two EPs, the Power Metal outfit released now their debut full-length album. "Ill Fated Voyage" was recorded and mixed by drummer Lorne Moskal at Treadwell Studios and mastered by Maor Appelbaum (ANNIHILATOR; HALFORD; SABATON). The album has a length of more than 47 minutes, and it was released by Californian Heavy, Power, and Speed Metal specialists Stormspell Records. No official video has been released so far. The album starts with the two-minutes, Folk and classic inspired "Deus Vault", which is a combination of acoustic guitars, back pipes, and the vocals. The back pipes are delivered by Zach Ault. With "Crusader", the Power Metal journey begins. It is a fast track with tight guitar riffing, catchy melodies, and a lot of double-bass drumming. The vocals are harsh and vary between the medium end of the vocal range. The track includes the typical mid-tempo break with a contributing lead guitar solo, which has plenty of Heavy Metal vibes. While the verse parts are fast shredding, the bridges and choruses are the melodic mid-tempo parts. The back pipes are ever present in the background.

"Afterlife Confessions" continues with a fast Power Metal attack. It is a similar story to "Crusader": fast deliveries during the verse parts with tight guitar riffing and choruses at a measured tempo with almost anthemic melodies, driven by powerful guitar riffing. The break comes at mid-tempo and offers two lead guitar solos. Both have once again many Heavy Metal vibes. The title track starts with IRON MAIDEN-inspired guitar riffing at mid-tempo. "Ill Fated Voyage" is more driven towards traditional Heavy Metal, especially with the guitar riffing and the vocals. The choruses have catchy melodies, and the chorus lines are sing-alongs. The break starts without any transitions right with the first lead guitar solo. During the break, there is a tempo switch towards fast pace for a second lead guitar solo with which the track concludes. "Faith In Battle" continues with the mid-tempo. The guitar riffing is powerful, and the vocals are versatile with a lot of tonal shifts towards higher pitched notes. The choruses deliver once again a lot of Heavy Metal vibes. The break starts with IRON MAIDEN-like twin guitars, leading into an extended and contributing lead guitar solo. "Faith In Battle" is one of the album highlights. "All Hail The Guardian" starts with a guitar-driven instrumental part leading into the fast verse part. The guitar riffing is tight and the melodies are catchy. There twists in pace and rhythm throughout with a few mid-tempo parts included. The choruses are anthemic. The break starts with the twin guitars, followed by a lead guitar solo and a bass solo.

The longer the album goes on, the more it sounds like an IRON MAIDEN record. "Herculean Destiny" has basically all their features: the guitar riffing, the tempo and rhythm switches, the tonal shifts of the vocals, the galloping rhythm, and the lead guitar solo. There are a few differences though and that are the fast parts included. The track has once again two lead guitar solos. "Days Of Glory" slows down the tempo, but not the power. It is a track at a measured tempo with powerful guitar riffs and strong basslines. The vocals utilize higher pitched notes, in particular during the choruses. When the break starts, there is a shift in tempo and eventually the lead guitar solo is played blisteringly fast with tight guitar riffs. Eventually, the track circles back for another verse/chorus part. The album finishes with "Keepers Of The Flame" and it starts with main riffs accompanied by epic vocal parts. It is a track at mid-tempo, tight guitar riffs, and catchy melodies. The choruses are sing-alongs. The break is relatively short but offers another contributing lead guitar solo.

IRON BRIGADE release a promising debut album. "Ill Fated Voyage" is a mixture of traditional Power Metal and classical Heavy Metal. Heavy Metal inspirations come all from IRON MAIDEN and this heavily affects the guitar riffing, the melodies, and the lead guitar solos including the famous twin guitars. The songwriting still needs a bit of maturity leading to its own unique sound. The album is well produced. Fans who love Power Metal in IRON MAIDEN style may like the debut album of IRON BRIGADE.