SINNER'S BLOOD is a Chilean melodic metal band featuring veteran performers from CHAOS MAGIC, THE INFERNO DOLL, and DARKEMIST. With their powers combine, they released a rocking, powerful album The Mirror Star. After forming in 2018, this is the band's first full-length album after releasing their singles "Kill or Die" and "The Mirror," robust songs that boost this album as a whole.

"The Mirror" is a strong opener. It's an edgy bop that you can't help headbang to. The symphonic elements aren't as present in this track, but they soar in on the second track, "Phoenix Rise". I'm in love with the gritty vocals used in the edgier and more melodic tracks here. Typically, the vocals only work with bluesy or more traditional metal sounds. Here, they gel well with the more melodic tracks too. I also enjoyed the grit in the refrain's instrumentals, it gave the song more character and kept it in line with the album's overall style. "Never Again" has a distinct sound from the first two tracks as does "Remember Me", a sing that slows down the pace of the songs, keeping it slower in the verses, but punching it up in the chorus. The harmonies in the final chorus of the song were particularly powerful.

Unfortunately, there are some sore spots in the middle of the album. For me, videogame-style symphonics can damper the mood. "The Path Of Fear" opens with some synthetic melodies which make me feel like I'm playing Castlevania. However, the guitars take over later in the song, delivering a powerful solo. The soaring backup vocals in the final chorus give the song a boost back on my good list, though. "Forever" is the album's first slow ballad, leading us in with a soft piano. Unlike a lot of "slow" songs in this genre, the song doesn't pick up intensity or speed to the point where it becomes another hard song on the album. It stays soft, slow, and steady, featuring some lovely, high-pitched piano work, but other than that, it's a typical slow song. That's OK though, as their later ballad pulls the stops out.

Like the opening track, "Kill Or Die" has a more traditional sound. Following "Forever", the slow track, this song seems to be a restart of the album's tone, organizing the album as if one were turning a vinyl record over. Like "Phoenix Rise", the subsequent song "Never Resting" features more symphonic elements, including a soaring chorus. It also has an edgy guitar solo, which transitions beautifully into the intense, final chorus. With the beautiful transitions and soaring choruses, "Never Resting" is easily one of my favorite tracks on the album.

Another ballad appears later in the album, a seven-minute number with steady, but heavy guitar riffs and pounding drums. "Who I Am" is where the band pulls out their more intense stops: echoing backup vocals, beautiful piano work, and militant riffs. The guitar solo is mainly a reworking of the main riff, with some sweeps thrown in in the background for flourish. While the penultimate track, a bombastic intense number called "The Hunting" is more conventional, the closing song "Awakening" has a more ambient, progressive feeling. Starting with a techno beginning (no videogame symphonics), the intro leads into a solid, heavy number which wile not a standout, leaves the album on a good note (no pun intended).

I love the variety and the listenability of each of these songs. The grittier vocals can be grating after a few tracks, but the fact they fit each song's style is a testament to the voice itself. I feel the second half of the album is stronger than the first, employing more progressive, harmonic elements on the tracks. If you're looking for a melodic metal band that isn't too heavy on symphonics but has a nice melodic vibe, this a band worth checking out. The production is great, the music is spot on, and I can't wait to hear more from the band in years to come.