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IRON SAVIOR
Titancraft
2016 AFM Records

Hot on the heels of a series of releases which include last year’s excellent live album, a rerecording of their 2007 album Megatropolis and the 2014 studio album Rise Of The Hero, comes Titancraft, yet another very satisfying release from German power metal heroes IRON SAVIOR!

The album opens with the intro track “Under Siege”. A voice requests the presence of the Titancraft, which arrives on the following title track. This is a world class speed metal anthem full of infectious vocals and riffs. Vocalist Piet Sielck and crew once again take us on a journey through space, similar to the legend of the Iron Savior. "Raise the banners, raise them high, for the freedom of mankind, I’ll fight until the end”. “Way Of The Blade” presents a snarling lead guitar mixed with a double bass drum salvo from Thomas Nack. Another bold chorus in this track that tells the story of a sci-fi battle. “Seize The Day” is another up-tempo rocker to inspire you with the lyrics like “Don’t be afraid of tomorrow—right here and now we’ll seize the day”. I’d like to personally thank the band for The Magnificent Seven-inspired gunfight anthem “Gunsmoke”, easily one of my favorite IRON SAVIOR tracks ever written. The song also has one of the catchiest choruses on the album. “Say your prayers—and die!”

“Beyond The Horizon” is another effective melodic power metal track. “The Sun Won’t Rise In Hell” is another favorite song from the album, featuring another memorable, hook-filled chorus. The punishing “Strike Down The Tyranny” is possibly the fastest song on the album, featuring an amazing solo section. “Brother In Arms” is a mid-tempo anthem that features yet another big chorus. “I Surrender” is a solid ballad written by Piet for his wife.

I highly recommend the bonus track version of the album. You will need the bonus tracks “Rock And Roll Addiction” and “Protector (2016)” in your collection. “Rock And Roll Addiction” celebrates the music we love with references to bands like KISS, TWISTED SISTER and VAN HALEN. “Protector” is a successfully reworked track from their 2002 album Condition Red.

As I frequently say, IRON SAVIOR has never released a bad album. In fact, it makes them a somewhat difficult band to review. Where does this album fall in the long line of quality releases? I would put Titancraft near the top of the list, probably in their top three albums. I have enjoyed this album much more than Rise Of The Hero, which was a solid album.

The production and mix (by Sielck) features a crunchy, dynamic punch that is central to Titancraft’s success. Piet’s voice has never sounded better, and the choruses are simply HUGE on this album. Joachim Küstner and Piet’s guitar playing is impeccable. Jan Eckert’s bass work is superb and Thomas Nack proves again he is one of the best power metal drummers out there. The album artwork is provided by the great Felipe Machado Franco, and features a fantastic cover as well as individual art for each track. The album contains a total of 13 tracks and is around an hour in length. Ultimately, Titancraft is defined by its spirit, which is “Heavy Metal Rules” and “Let’s Rock!” In my opinion, Piet and the band have created a classic heavy metal album. Titancraft will rank near the top of my best of list this year.

5.0 Out Of 5.0

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