Admittedly, I've never heard an Italian band that hasn't piqued my interest, with my 'reincarnation' as a Metalhead growing up with ELVENKING and LACUNA COIL. Power Metallers MY REFUGE expand their discography with a new EP, further building on their immense potential, infusing their powerful sound with progressive and thrashy flourishes.

The first track is not belied by its title; a powerful build-up is pounded out by delicious-sounding, organic and trigger-less drums; the latter almost unheard of in much of modern Metal. This track has a noticeably STRATOVARIUS feel in its arrangement and melodic patterns; a common motif where the guitars minimalize, and a bass/drum pattern supports the vocal melodies. By the second half of the song, screeching leads scream back into the limelight. The second track takes on a subtly different sound, this time much closer to progressive music. The vocals themselves are even reminiscent of CIRCUS MAXIMUS' Michael Eriksen. In this track, the riffs and rhythm patterns are more syncopated and unpredictable, but still evoke an accessible grandeur.

The title track is more of a mid-tempo track, but focusses more greatly on guitar and vocal melody progressions, and also has more noticeable atmospherics present in the mix. Altogether, it comes across as mature and powerful, but also elegant and infectiously catchy. I am an absolute sucker for music with these qualities. The track picks up in speed and complexity as the lead guitars take off once again, in a majestically STRATOVARIUS-like fashion. The final track is an acoustic version of what I'm assuming is an upcoming song; "Empty Rooms" breaks down the band's music to a bare-bones setting, with Moz' voice accompanies by a beautiful-sounding acoustic guitar. The chord progressions used, with an abundance of soulful minor chords, evoke with his voice a haunting and tender atmosphere.

This is the first piece of MY REFUGE's music I have ever heard, and just off a 4-track EP I am completely hooked and can't wait for the next full-length.