Novareign - Shifting the Axis of the World (2026)

Hailing from North America, today we have one of the best local Progressive/Power Metal outfits with Novareign. Unleashing their sophomore full-length release “Shifting the Axis of the World”, the band delivers seven tracks and around 53-minutes of high=octane music, filled with catchiness and craftiness. Showing tons of influences from bands like Dragonforce, Sonata Arctica, Evergrey, etc. this outfit’s sound is more focused on proficient instrumentation rather than atmospheric/symphonic elements, making their music quite engaging to fans of the genre.

Opening with the epic “Ode to the Masses”, we quickly get the band’s very cinematic and explosive sound delivering some killer guitar leads alongside crafty drumming. While many bands in the genre are overdoing it with symphonic elements, these guys have a more compact sound that is as epic, thanks to the excellent vocals of David Marquez alongside engaging tempo changes. Tracks like “Sun & Moon”, “Ironsides”, “Blood of the Game” are straight up bangers filled with intricate technical work and some old-school catchiness.

The Dragonforce vibes are always present, but they come front and center with the dramatic “Mors Indecepta” and its blistering guitar work. Balmore Lemus and David Walston are axe masters and they are not shy to show off when needed, while still creating engaging and very melodic songs like “Thunder & Majesty” and its Dio-esque vibes. Saving the most epic for last, the album title track delivers extreme catchiness with razor sharp guitar work alongside dramatic vocal arrangements and a throbbing bass guitar line.

Overall, “Shifting the Axis of the World” is one hell of a Power/Progressive Metal release that will certainly satisfy genre purists. The band fires on all cylinders, creating some truly engaging and impressive songs that while very technically proficient, sound natural and never forced. In a very crowded Metal music scene, it is hard to stand out, however, Novareign has all that it takes, so keep an eye out for these guys.

Rating: 96/100