Canadian quintet THOR are back with another full length album to add to their massively impressive back catalogue. "Alliance" is a 17 track behemoth of a record (well certainly by modern standards) and it is here with a bang. The artwork shows the Thor reaching to the sky with Mjolnir (albeit a slightly more Marvelised version of Thor), it's a bit cheesy, but maybe that is also a sign of what is to come.

With the size of this record, I'm going to pick five tracks to look at in detail. Opening the record is "We Need Musclerock" and my initial thought is that you could have plucked this straight from the eighties. The upbeat Classic Heavy Metal is just so much fun and puts a smile on my face. The vocal line, especially the chorus, is just begging for throngs of fans to be there screaming and chanting along in unison. The guitar breaks are slick and enticing, all in all an entertaining introduction. "Ode To Odin" is another fast pace high octane track. The riffs are just relentless driven expertly by the drum line. The vocal line is still very much playing to that anthemesque style that I know would go down well at any live show, people would just be dying to get stuck in and involved with it. Again, the guitar breaks are just mesmerising, and really elevate the tracks from good to great for me.

"Bounty Hunter" shows instant promise, as the steady beat gives way to some more delightful guitar sweeps. This style of break keeps on coming back throughout, interspersing the phrasing and sections with precise timing. As with every track thus far, I am just getting the image of how much fun this would all be live. There is just so many little parts, both the simple and the more flamboyant, that are done so well and that really is what makes this, and all the others such fantastic tracks really. "Good Stuff" is just another feel-good track, it's a bit like something I would expect a certain Bruce Springsteen to put out. But it's of that style, and it is just, in essence, good music that anyone would do well to listen to and immerse themselves in. "We Will Fight Forever (Reprise)" is energetic, smooth and silky and just another anthem that THOR have no intentions of stopping the party anytime soon. Wailing guitars, aggressive riffs and a breathless drum track really develop this instrumental wonder into an exquisite outro.

Overall, was it a bit cheesy? Yes. But, you know what? Fuck it. I challenge anyone to listen to this record and tell me that it did not make you smile, that you didn't tap your foot along with the music or imagine that you were in a venue (or a field, sorry guys but you would be so amazing at a couple of the festivals I frequent) having a fucking fantastic time listening to TH1OR. I hope that this is not the end for the band, as I need to get these guys onto my seen list!