I have a confession, boys and girls: during the research phase of writing this review, when my sole impression of this band was from the band's own site, the label's site and their Facebook pages, I didn't like the Swiss rockers MEGORA - something about the first impression from their sites irked me as off. But then I pressed Play on their new record, Burning Empire.

A heavy and driving rhythm section pummels you right from the beginning, and the vocals compliment it perfectly. Straight-on palm-muted pummeling leads on to melodic chord transitions to sing-along style choruses - and that's just the first track! But pummeling all-metal is not all these guys know - the album is very nicely done dynamically speaking, with clean softer parts accentuating the harsh parts and rhythms changing constantly, keeping you sonically engrossed in the music.

The album continues with a great vibe right on the sweet-spot between the heavy part and its catchy rock n' roll origins. Although it's a great album throughout, it truly finds its voice only around the fifth track or so, and goes full-blast awesome only at the sixth. Although the band itself exists since 1990, this is only their second studio album - and it bears the distinctive feel of a single piece of art rather than a collection of songs, which to me is the trademark of a good band I'd want to hear more from.

If I had to sum up the album in only two words (and how my editor would love that!), I think they would be "Just right". Rhythm work is excellently done but seldom overdone, guitar leads are interesting and well played but never over-the-top, the changes in rhythm are cool and the choruses would have you singing along at first listening. What can I say, these guys know their trade. I hope when they go on tour to support this album they'll stop by my neck o' the woods. I'm knocking off a point for one reason only - the prominent bump in song quality around the middle of the record. I wish they'd made the entire record as awesome as those songs.