Just to turn down the volume again and let the rest flow downhill in a strangely even stream of nicely curated metal.Īnd then, the similarities roll in. Moreover, the band dutifully kicks the power buttons to full speed ahead once the entry point, Into the Glory Land, roars off. But here, the crew started to look for excitement elsewhere after a while, and that’s a pity. It’s this cerebral kick from well-crafted tracks that come with high-calorie metal power levels to dream of. The metal addicts RMR usually like to greedily feed off that often exuberant energy HM records throw at you. The folks over at Crom truly are gifted songwriters.Īnd yet. Fillers totally absent, yet another great point in a sea of positives. And there are no really bad songs on The Era of Darkness, none.

A metal dish that – at times – sounds more Týr than it would rival Iron Maiden. Heavy Metal with some subtle Power and Viking Metal injections, complete with sometimes pretty cool shredding (on Riding into the Sun, for instance). Sturdy, but none-too-meaty riffs, at times snazzy solos, and a neatly manicured vocal delivery.

A polished production, well-arranged songs that smoothly flow along on well-written lyrics. Instead, you get reasonably bite-sized tracks, all neatly arranged, and delivered by the vocalist in measured tones.Īnd – again – there’s nothing really wrong with that. No early over-the-top Dickinson hollers here, no rebellious railings against the Gods o’ Vile Metal. In other words, you won’t get high-octane heavies shoved down your eardrums that will slam yer head back in between your shoulders so you can’t get unstuck anymore. After all, a band needs to grow its varied fanbase. The Era of Darkness conveys that impression of a Heavy Metal record that tries to offer a little something for everyone hitting on the green cover. So, will Crom deliver a lesson in mind-blowing and glitzy Heavy Metal or is it going to be stale old tropes all over again? Unleash those trve metal screams!

What’s more, the wider selection of that decidedly powerful selection contained some of the best Power Metal cuts we had the pleasure to review on this ‘zine.Īnd this sets the bar at lofty heights for those who wish to grab some of the stardom that this worn-out genre still has to offer in 2023. And two of them, the ones from Saxon and Splintered Throne, landed square on one of our funkiest annual top 10 lists so far. 2022 brought us a pretty outstanding crop of snazzy Heavy Metal records.

An era of darkness