MARTIN TEMPLUM DOMINI. Not exactly a name that I envision when I think of a Heavy metal band. Well, that's alright then, as this isn't your average bunch of Metal musicians. This is an Instrumental Heavy/Power Metal trio that have just completed their third album "Mankind". These guys from Barcelona in Spain are new to me, so I can safely say that the first two albums, "Martin Templum Domini" (2018)  and "The Dark Matter" (2024) have never been played to my ears before now. And as I'm listening to "Mankind" I am seriously beginning to wonder why not. I might not be the world's biggest fan of instrumental albums, I do like it when a band gets it right.

And that is exactly what MARTIN TEMPLUM DOMINI does. They get it right. Yes, like any instrumental album within the Metal range you get a guitarist that is showing off his immense and (sometimes) impressive skills in a masturbatory way, and some put that ahead of the music in general. Thankfully these guys have not made that error. On "Mankind" the songs come first, and then the guitar antics of Carlos Martin. And that makes listening to this album a whole lot easier, as you can enjoy the songs, and even the fast solo pieces that are being played. What Carlos Martin does is keep them short enough to avoid annoyance, but also long enough for him to be able to impress.

There is one song with vocals. It is "Before We Ever Were", where we have the outstanding Göran Edman doing his vocals. I have to say that after listening to "Mankind" a number of times it has me wondering what the added value of his vocals are for MARTIN TEMPLUM DOMINI. Of course, he sings brilliantly, but I feel that is they would have kept this one instrumental as well, with the right lines for all the musicians, it would have been better. Now I feel that it's just a mediocre song. Something I don't think about any of the others. They are all between decent and very good. And that Is what matters most; that the songs have such a presence that they make you happy to listen to them, that they are telling a story. And if Carlos Martin is capable of anything, it is telling a story with his guitar playing. And that is where the real power of MARTIN TEMPLUM DOMINI and "Mankind" lies.