Italian band STORMLORD fall nothing short of epic, that's for sure. Using orchestral sounds to create an impressive outcome and harsh, low vocals forms something pretty incredible. Originally released in 2008, "Mare Nostrum" been reissued, featuring three extra demo tracks and a live on radio track.

It's very much recognized that each member of the band has been valued greatly to achieve such an epic sound.  The incorporation of multiple elements from different genres has proved successful. Their folk style melodies and changing drum rhythms pointed them towards an almost Folk style, and the low growls of Christiano Borchi gave their music a darker Death Metal sound. I think it's safe to say that each track on this album is not like the other. Third track, "Legacy of the Snake" embraces an Arabic tone, which is another reason why I thought this album was very well written and constructed. I absolutely feel the need to compliment the drumming on this album, as David Folchitto changes from style to style with ease. His fast Black Metal style drumming can change in a heartbeat to a more traditional style. It is obvious how significant the Orchestral Programming of Riccardo Studer has been on this album as it could arguably be this that makes them Extreme Epic Metal. Having listened to this album a number of times, their ninth track "Stormlord" stood out to me, as it contained so many elements of Epic Metal that I love. Short breaks of instrumental, orchestral work, low classic style clean vocals and steady drumming made for a really great song.

Although I was very keen on the majority of these tracks, I found myself wishing there were more clean vocals as the rest of the music and their overall sound suggests it should be accompanied with clean singing. However, in a way, the harsh vocals work, adding aggression and perhaps a heavier sound.<