Sweden has earned its name in the metal music industry for being the birth place of legendary bands like Opeth, Amon Amarth, Sabaton, Dark Tranquility and the list goes on and on. Sabaton became the first band from Sweden to have an eponymous open air festival in the country. Sabaton Open Air is the annual highlight of Sweden that calls bands from all around the world. Another band that recently arose from the mighty land of Sweden is Twilight Force.
Power metal is known for its triumphant, mythological and heroic music; it has its own fantastical world and stands loud and proud from other genres. Twilight Force’s debut album, Tales of Ancient Prophecies, was a breakthrough album and showed the world that a new force is here with the dragons and swords. The force strikes again with a more power and strength in the form of ‘Heroes of Mighty Magic.’
When you think of power metal, you imagine high pitched vocals and it begins with the very first song of the album “Battle Of Arcane Might”. The symphonic introduction that follows it in “Guardian of the Seas” is ominous and the chorus only complements it. The transition of vocals from high to low and back again is commendable. The band consists of six members with fantastical names; power metal through and through. Chrileon on vocals and guitars, Born giving the back-support with bass, Lynd on guitars and lute, Aerendir on guitars, Blackwald on keyboards, piano and the violin, and forming the skeletal base of the band is De’Azsh on drums.
The first half also comprises of a 10-minute long epic, “There And Back Again”; and the song is a simply impeccable with its fast-paced guitars and glowing solos. The second half gets heavier and better with the crystal clear riffs of “Rise of a Hero”. The confluence of vocals and chorus is haunting and it gets to your bones. The title track of the album is in its second half and another 10-minute epic. The song starts in a grand manner and is the perfect conclusion to the album.
A band is whole when all its members play equal and important part in their music; that unity and understanding between them is what makes Twilight Force great. The guitars on the album are gritty and in-your-face, topped by soaring vocals; it only beautifies the environment it creates. One of the other noticeable parts in the album is the “Epilogue”. It’s a 6-minute spoken part and it moves from one ear to the other flawlessly, it even echoes in your brain. Mastering of the album is stands out. Mixing and production are exceptional and noteworthy.
‘Heroes of Mighty Magic’ is nothing short of a masterpiece. It is everything you expect a power metal album to be and at parts, it goes beyond it. By the time you finish this album and thoroughly spend an hour with it, it’ll leave you mesmerized. It’s progressive with fantastic guitars, strong bass, high vocals and top-notch musicianship. This album sets a new bar for power metal with its powerful music.