The province of Belgian guitar virtuoso Dushan Petrossi, IRON MASK issues its debut for AFM Records. In addition to the considerable six-string talents, ex-YNGWIE/RING OF FIRE vocalist Mark Boals can be heard helping out on ten tracks, which leaves vocalist Roma Sialetski relegated to a few aggressive voices. Should be interesting if Boals doesn't end up touring with them!

The vocals on the title track (some lyrics in Latin), which opens the disc after a short intro, sound like Tim "Ripper" Owens, which isn't a bad thing. A bouncy keyboard melody kicks off 'Broken Hero", yet fails to maintain that good will, whereas "Feel The Fire" (or is that Feel The Fury?) feels like a vintage MALMSTEEN composition. Speaking of kings of the fret board, the Neo-Classical "Rebel Kid" recalls RAINBOW circa of "Difficult To Cure". About 40 seconds of traditional Far Eastern rhythms open the otherwise plodding "Genghis Khan" (again cue the Owens references for the high notes).

Tinges of acoustic guitar can be heard in the fantastically entitled "God Punishes, I Kill". A speedy "Blizzard Of Doom" has nothing to do with the music genre of the same name, in fact it appears to be the fateful historical event documented in the movie ALIVE, where the Andes survivors had to eat other passengers to live. Lively Power Metal? Try "Absence" or fleet fingered "Nosferatu". Good stuff! Given the artwork, band and label decided to press limited (500) run, double LP, which will include a second, bonus cut, "March Of The Slaves".