MY REFUGE is an Italian power metal band with an interesting, eclectic mix. Granted, from the track list above, they compiled a lit of eclectic musicians to perform on their latest album, The Anger Is Never Over. Boasting musicians from over fourteen countries and four continents, they truly took their album in a unique, if not smoothly mixed direction.

This album is an eclectic mix of metalcore and power metal. As such, the vocals, which are all over the place, are a little more forgivable on the opening track, "Immortal Fire". The guitars remind me of early AVENGED SEVENFOLD bigtime, especially the tuned-up lead guitar and the climbing melody and sweeps in the guitar solo. I like how the outro winds down on the track though.

"Winterland" was a standout track for me thanks to how it stuck to the power metal formula and ran with it. The opening is majestic, especially with the rolling drums and how there's a call and response between the drums and the guitars in the intro. The vocals are smooth and elegant, a complete contrast from the opening track. In fact, I would have never guessed this was the same band if these were only two songs you gave me. The constructions are beautiful on technical aspects, especially on the subtle way the music invokes winter and the clashing choruses bringing an icy cliffside or a raging snowstorm to mind. The way the vocals howl through the solo is also reminiscent of winter, and the way the guitar solo moves is like a rampaging wolf and a steam train racing through Siberia at the same time.

If there were a song that perfectly blended the elements, "Until the End" would be it. The growling elements in the beginning of the chorus and the gurgling in the verses are pure contemporary metal, but the soaring, operatic voice in the second part showcase both sides of this band's coin. The way it opens is pure metalcore, but the soaring elements blend it together with more traditional power metal in an enchanting way, especially with the higher-pitched, tinkling synthetics and organ effects in the intro. Plus, the guitar work in this song, while highly tuned up, is so stylized, it's perfection.

The closing track, "The Anger Is Never Over", has a different take in the verses, specifically having a lighter, softer and more boyish style in the verse. It sounds more like an anime opening than a darker, more Western style in the beginning. The more baroque chorus brings it back to earth though.

The album as a whole, as I said with the opening track, is a mixed bag for me. It's like blending yellow and blue and getting marble instead of straight green. Some tracks exist more in metalcore. Others exist more in straight power metal. Altogether, it's a marvelous tapestry. I'll admit, I wasn't sure about it in the beginning, but there are true gems on this album that are worth checking out. It's a solid album, and if you're a fan of both metalcore and power metal and looking for a good mix, check most of these songs out.