After crashing into the power metal world last year with their first EP, Sweden’s Krilloan step through into fantasy realm once again with album Emperor Rising.
From the outset you just know this album is going to be full of fist-in-the-air hymns and by the end of “Prince of Caledor” it’s doubtful this is going any other way, and as if by magic the mighty “Sons of the Lion” backs up my prediction.
Looping solos and gallops break into my absolute highlight track of the album “Fireborn” which has a great chorus and battle soundscapes.
Providing a instrumental narrative “Return to Melnibone” sets up title track “Emperor Rising” perfectly, the latter having a good storytelling feel to it. This flows into “Break of Dawn (Brothers In Arms)”. If there was a track that shows the band’s will to bring hard hitting, singalong anthems and encapsulates Emperor Rising’s aesthetic there would be no better choice than “Into the Storm”.
The album concludes with “Stormlight” which again has a great gallop throughout, and “Angels Sacrifice” which is perfectly placed as it has all the qualities of a battle finale scene with a slow release atmosphere. With guest appearances from Matthias Graf (Evertale), Jack Reynolds (Battle Born) and Johan Karlsson (Evermore) it not only gives the album a sense of validity but just confirms that it is a lot of fun to listen to.
Supercharged by dragons.
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Emperor Rising is out now
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