Armory – Empyrean Realms (2013)

Taking the North American Power Metal scene by surprise, today we have Armory and their high-octane sophomore release “Empyrean Realms”. After showing great surprise with their debut full-length “The Dawn of Enlightenment” six years ago, this band finally returns with an even more grandiose and bombastic release. Filled with over 50 minutes of blazing fast guitars, soaring vocals, and perky keyboards, this is one release that should be on your Christmas shopping list.

Immediately blasting away with “Eternal Mind”, Adam Kurland’s vocals soar like you would expect from any top vocalist of the genre. Perfectly balanced and with an impressive range, this is one of the first assets behind this very creative band. The track progresses with intricately crafted guitars and super tight drumming. Rivaling the composition and execution brilliance of bands like Rhapsody of Fire, Stratovarius, etc., tracks like “Dreamstate” and “Beyond The Horizon” keep the band’s epic delivery and vibe rolling.

With certain Progressive/Space Rock elements thrown into the mix, tracks like “Reflection Divine” and “Horogium” show the band’s ability to merge different influences into their well-defined sound. Pete Rutcho’s keyboards are vital to the band’s very dynamic and explosive sound, as the listener can appreciate on “Inner Sanctum”. The bass guitar lines are quite involved in the whole release and are perfectly highlighted in the excellent mix of the album.

Fear not, there are enough blistering guitar solos and epic vocal arrangements to please the most demanding fans of the genre, and if you don’t believe us, just check out “Fate Seeker”. Saving the best for last, “Quest For The Fleece” is one hell of an epic closer to such a diverse and clear sounding release. The band does a great job in mixing up modern influences with traditional Power/Heavy Metal sounds to deliver a timeless experience.

As a whole, “Empyrean Realms” is one the best and most explosive releases we have heard in 2013. This American band shows extreme amounts of promise and we sure hope they get all the attention they deserve. If you are a fan of Power Metal, you have no excuse to not buy such an amazing release.

Label: Metavania Music

Release: November 12th, 2013

Genre: Power Metal

Country: USA