I have always been all for one and one for all when it came down to keeping a legacy, protecting the old flame and in an indirect way sending a message of what is the true form of music while trenching everything that is false. However, when one is in a band that for years have been trying to savour the old, how far would one, or even you for instance, would go to patch the AC to the DC, the MANO to the WAR? Will it cost the band's originality while making them as a sort of a mimic? Will this band end up as a sort of a province for the much bigger band? I assume that these are tough questions and I am sure that there have been many groups worldwide that fell to the category or at least something in between. I have known the Berlin based Heavy Metal act MAJESTY since their debut album back in 2000. Even then I knew that they did more than just making a tribute to the true Metal genre, they actually took another band's form, in their case, MANOWAR. While producing albums as MAJESTY, then as METALFORCE (Sharing the same label with MANOWAR) and now again as MAJESTY (with NoiseArt Records), they made some impressive stuff but I have always wondered if they actually thought about achieving something of their own, establishing their own identity as a Metal band and not an identical twin of another. The band's comeback album as MAJESTY, "Thunder Rider", at the first half a minute seemed dissimilar from what I just described but then the ugly truth revealed its mashed up face and laughed.

Certainly I don't think that MAJESTY is an unqualified Metal group. These guys can be addressed as veterans. They know their Metal, history and legacy in the arts of achieving an 80s Metal oriented direction. I remember when "Hellforces" struck hard six years ago and it seemed to be like a ticking time bomb ready to combust. Though not perfect and definitely not unique (and that is a lenient description to say the least), it seemed to me like a well-crafted release, especially with that smacking title track that really pumped things up. On the other hand, "Thunder Rider" made me understand for who knows how many times that MAJESTY would never abandoned their MANOWARish status. They would keep on clinging to the MANOWAR heritage that means looking and sounding (though sucking of late, no one can do better than Eric Adams or chop the bass like Joey DeMaio and I didn't say anything about the looks), even with a similar form of production, like the American giants with only a few break away occasions from the mother band's structures and patterns.

Unfortunately, those minimal escapes turned sour. "Thunder Rider" has only one with "Make Some Noise" that was more ridiculous than a tryout to be genuine with a simple and to the point Hard Rock tune. For one thing, MAJESTY tried to create inspiring anthems and sing-along staging such as "Warlords Of The Sea", "Thunder Rider", "Rebellion of Steel" and "Anthem Of Glory". However, even with the multi channeled vocals, those sound powerless, dry and lack supremacy. I am afraid that these negative qualities won't probably win anyone. I felt an itch at best as I liked "Thunder Rider" and the closing number, "Metal Union", which I didn't include earlier as this one served as a good example of how to make a sing-along anthem, also by using guest vocals and conspiring for greatness with nice, effective riffing that displayed vigorousness. "Raise The Beast" claimed its spot as the album's top speeding bullet with some intense fast riffing and terse rhythms. The vocal section again a bit weak but I could live with it. "Asteria" is no more and no less than one of the elegant MANOWAR ballads, same kind of piano / keyboards playing, similar structure patterns. This one was pretty good but didn't make me praise MAJESTY more.

For one thing, and that is a quality that couldn't be driven away from this band, MAJESTY are catchy, obvious but accessible. They would sell but for those who are looking for more than just the same Metalized themes and basic music as on "Rebellion Of Steel", would turn their heads pretty fast. The latest MANOWAR album sucked really bad and I saw it as one of the band's worst displays ever composed. Therefore I see nothing to mimic, nothing to be proud about. I say let the MAJESTY create its own face because additional displays like "Thunder Rider" can't be considered as trophies.