Well, let me start this review with a question: Do I really need to speak something? Yes, you read it clearly. Dear nephews and nieces of mine, it's a new album from PRAYING MANTIS, one of the most known bands into the Heavy Metal/Hard Rock English scene, and for the world as well. They are a warehouse for many musicians extremely known on Metal scene, like Bernie Shaw (now URIAH HEEP's vocalist), and many famous names passed on the band's ranks, as Doogie White, Paul Di'Anno, Dennis Straton, and Clive Burr (do I really need to name something from these guys? I really don't think so).

And let me tell you: "Legacy", their new album, keeps the same spirit and energy from the old times. It's the same and good melodic Hard Rock/AOR that we already know, a bit Pop orientated than before, but the same musical identity and essence that brothers Tino and Chris Troy created more than 40 years ago (yes, 40 years. The band was founded o n1973) is present on the album: a melodic and strong mix between Hard Rock with great doses of AOR, having great guitars and keyboards, but with very charming and hooking melodies and choruses.

A excellent sound quality (it's not a surprise when we deal with these guys, and a great trademark for Frontiers Records' releases), perfect and clean. But it does not lacks of the necessary weight, even PRAYING MANTIS being not a Heavy Metal band in the deeper sense of the term. But let's leave the labels aside and pay attention to the songs. "Fight for Your Honour" is the grandiose and melodic track that opens the album with very good guitar riffs and perfect vocals (yes, John is a fine vocalist as his predecessors), and a hooking chorus. More melodic and commercial is "The One", almost a ballad, but having very good work done on bass guitar and drums (along with fine clean guitars). In the same trend, we have "Believable", again having great vocals and a catching chorus. "Tokyo" is introduced by fine orchestrations on keyboard followed by excellent guitars, keeping that AOR tender and accessible atmosphere

Even being almost a ballad, "Better Man" has some aggressive riffs, with a chorus filled by feeling on vocals. Tender and having great moments on keyboards and guitars once more is the deep and hard "All I See". On "Eyes Of A Child", even keeping the accessible atmosphere of European AOR, we can feel a more heavier work done by drums and bass guitar. A catching and more Rock'n'Roll orientated song is "The Runner", using some doubled guitars like IRON MAIDEN used on the 80s, again using an excellent chorus. On "Against The World", another grandiose song with a classic chorus, we have some fine and well worked backing vocals. "Fallen Angel" follows in the same vein, having a better dynamic from guitars with the rhythmic kitchen. And "Second Time Around" is a energetic and more heavier song, presenting strong riffs and great vocals once more.

Well, I have no words to describe this album. It a masterpiece.

Haters gonna hate, I know, but "Legacy" is a perfect album.