KRILLOAN hailing from Älmhult, Sweden, were formed in 2020. The Power Metal outfit released so far one EP and one full-length album. Their sophomore album “Return Of The Heralds” has a length of about 40 minutes, and it was released via Italian label Scarlet Records, which has many Power, Thrash, and Heavy Metal bands among their current roster. Carlos Alvarez (SHADOWDANCE) delivered additional guitars on some of the tracks. The album starts with the traditional Power Metal track “Atlantean Sword” and that means powerful guitar riffing and crunching basslines at a crazy pace, plenty of double-bass drumming, and vocals which vary between the medium to higher end of the vocal range with occasional highly pitched screams. The melodies are epic, and the chorus melodies are catchy. “Atlantean Sword” is a very strong opening track and there is little surprise that the track is the official video release with the YouTube link being provided below. “Kings Of The Iron Hill” continues with the epic sound. The track is not as pacey as the opener, it leans more towards mid-tempo. There is a lot of double-bass support, while the vocals utilize many higher notes. The break halfway through has a few MANOWAR vibes. Highlight of the track are the lead guitar contributions as they provide the melodic framework of the track. “Blood And Fire (Born On A Battlefield)” starts with an extended guitar part, leading into the verse part at mid-tempo. The vocals are mainly around the medium end of the vocal range with little tonal shifts apart from very few higher pitched screams. There is a lot of background vocal support during the track. The extended lead guitar solo is the highlight of the song. The MANOWAR inspirations also continue with the epic chorus line “Blood And Fire/Blood And Steel”.

“Hammer Of Wrath” continues with the epic Power Metal journey. It is a dynamic track at a fast tempo with powerful guitar riffing, plenty of double-bass, and catchy melodies for the verse and chorus parts. The choruses are almost anthemic. Combined with an excellent lead guitar solo, “Hammer Of Wrath” is one of the best album tracks and I am sure, it will be part of every future setlist. “Avenging Son” raises the tempo for the verse parts. The riffing is crushing, and it is accompanied by strong basslines. There are tempo changes between verse parts, bridge, and chorus parts with the choruses played at mid-tempo. The break includes another extended lead guitar solo and a few sing-alongs. “Avenging Son” is one of those tracks with a more complex structure combined with twists and turns in tempo and rhythm. “The Oathpact” is a one-minute symphonic inter-lude, followed by the title track. “Return To The Heralds” returns to the traditional Power Metal attack consisting of thunderous riffing, a lot of double-bass drumming, crushing basslines, epic melodies, and plenty of lead guitars. Some bits and pieces of the track send me back to glorious times with HELLOWEEN. The title track is another album highlight.

“The Kingkillers Tale” starts Folk Metal inspired with the acoustic guitars and a traditional sound and melodies. It is the album ballad and vocalist Alex VanTrue shows how good he is and grabs the opportunity to shine. “The Kingkillers Tale” is the third highlight of the album, I want to point out. “We Burn” goes back to the typical album sound. It is a mixture of faster parts and mid-tempo parts with tight riffing for the verse parts. The vocals have once again many tonal shifts towards higher notes. Altogether, “We Burn” cannot quite keep up with the top three album tracks. The album closes with “Beyond The Gates” and it is a mid-tempo track with focus on epic melodies, in particular during the chorus parts. The track is not straightforward as there are many switches in tempo and rhythm. A final highlight is the lead guitar solo of the song.  KRILLOAN deliver Power Metal of high quality. “Return Of The Heralds” has all the ingredients which make Power Metal to the popular genre we all love: pace, powerful guitar riffing, plenty of double-bass drumming, and epic melodies. All kept together by an excellent vocalist. The album is well produced. KRILLOAN set a marker with their album and “Return Of The Heralds” will help to establish the band to a serious force in a crowded Power Metal market.