Out of the band White Wizard came Hold Grail – two bands that certainly had something interesting and acute to say in the world of West Coast Metal. Holy Grail seems to have been the one to take that next step and with 2013’s ‘Ride the Void’ they proved that their excellent debut ‘Crisis in Utopia’ had been no fluke.
This year sees a return with ‘Times of Pride and Peril’ and fans won’t be surprised to hear it’s another ten quality tracks of classic heavy metal. This time out though there’s a twist with a concept riding through the set centered on the rise and fall of a great empire.
If you want great vocals, screaming guitars and the sense of abandon great Metal brings then ‘Crystal King’ the opening track will have you from the off. For me in the sound there’s a mix of old school, a touch of Trivium and contemporaries Black Tide and a healthy dose of Power Metal atmospherics if not sound.
If you like your Metal and like it fast then you will love this: try tracks like the opener ‘Crystal King’; or ‘Waste Them All Away’ with its great intro; or maybe ‘Sudden Death’ and ‘Those Who Remain’. If you want texture then the epic ‘Pro Partia Mori’ works on all levels. Elsewhere ‘Apotheosis’ and ‘No More Heroes’ kick ass just as well. Perhaps best of all though is closing track ‘Black Lotus’ which weighs in at over nine minutes and is simply stunning in scope and execution.
Excellent. Maybe my Metal album of the year already.
