Stormwarrior - Stormwarrior

*=Staff's pick	The Hammer Returneth (intro) Signe Of The Warlord* Sons Of Steele* Bounde By The Oathe Deceiver* The Axewielder* Deathe By The Blade Thunderer* Iron Prayers Defenders Of Metal* Chains Of Slavery* Heavy Metal (Is The Law)

Genre	Power Metal	Lars Ramcke	Vocals
Tracks	12	Lars Ramcke	Guitar
Runningtime	54 Min.	Scott Bölter	Guitar
Label	Remedy Records	Jussi Zimmermann	Bass
Release	29 Jul. 2002	Falko Reshöft	Drums
Country	Germany	-	Keyboards
Similar artists	Helloween, Running Wild

Absolutely amazing!! I just can't find any better words fit to begin with. German Stormwarrior's debut album is nothing but un utter masterpiece and without a single doubt THE album of the year 2002 (and perhaps the decade!?). It's produced by none-other than metal-guru Kai Hansen himself, and after just a few seconds you realise why he's chosen to do so. This band got their main influences from the old 80's powermetal and is continuing in the footsteps of Helloween's classic Walls Of Jericho and traces of Running Wild aren't that hard to detect either.

The album contains 12 tracks (incl. 1 intro and 1 cover) and in addition to the intro there's an almost merciless up-tempo pace from the very beginning to the bitter end. Loads of speedy and heavy guitars, furious double bass drumming supporting great soaring vocals (no standard high-pitch here...) and some very metal-cliché warrior and battle lyrics that fit the sound like a glove. Some people might think that the album is a bit superficial and that all songs are cast in the same mould, but I'm not of that opinion- I say it's quite the contrary.

This just might be one of the most intense and bombastic power-metal albums ever deliverd in such a conviction and force that's not very far from breathtaking and it almost goes without saying that this is the brightest shining 10 chalices out of 10 I've ever ascribed! Stormwarrior will make your metalheart beat like that of a bolting racehorse!

See also review of: Thunder & Steele , Heading Northe , At Foreign Shores , Northern Rage

Production	Vocals	Compositions
9	10	9,5

Summary
10 chalices of 10 - Mat