VICTORIUS
“HEART OF THE PHOENIX”
Album Review By Iron Mathew
10/10
Victorius are a power metal band from Germany forming in 2004 releasing their debut album in 2010. Germany has always had a great tradition for producing superb power metal bands, and Victorius are a band destined to continue the tradition. The band release two more albums in quick succession, 2013 and 2014 and now in 2017 are set to release their fourth album ‘Heart Of The Phoenix’.
Combining speed and power, the new album gets off to a flyer with the lightning quick ‘Stormwarriors’. Displaying everything great about the German style of power metal, ‘Stormwarriors’ is a raging and rampant gallop of infectious melodies and out and out speed. Clean and clear vocals allow for ease of listening and sing a long ability, and head banging is a must. ‘Hero’ is majestic and epic and is urgent like a drag racer over that quarter mile. Victorius have all the imagery that instantly recognises them as an epic power metal outfit and they do not disappoint. ‘End Of The Rainbow’ has the pace associated with fellow countrymen, the iconic Iron Savior. Even bands such as Helloween, Gamma Ray and Primal Fear would struggle to maintain the pace that Victorius are setting… Injecting a heavier feel to the album ‘Die By My Sword’ is a rampant slab of hard hitting heavy rock that shows signs of the melodic and a cracking sing a long style chorus. Catchy and infectious, ‘Sons Of Orion’ is classic sounding European power metal, twin guitar leads and a galloping rhythm, this is the stuff of legends.
Victorius have toured with bands such as Freedom Call and Van Canto and will be embarking on a 2017 tour with German legends Grave Digger. The title song ‘Heart Of The Phoenix’ is a power house of power metal. Huge riffs, a thunderous rhythm and a superb clean and clear vocal delivery, Victorius know how to please their fans. And please them they do in such an effortless way, it’s almost like they were born to play metal. First single off the album ‘Empire Of The Dragonking’ is a mouth watering delight of heavy metal. A buzzing opening guitar riff, similar in style to the evolutionary NWOBHM movement during the eighties, ‘Empire Of The Dragonking’ is heavy rock at its finest. An epic chorus break and that buzzing guitar sound is a heavy metal head bangers dream. A song titled ‘Hammer Of Justice’ springs to mind a vision of heaviness, speed and melodic-ness…and believe me you’re not gonna be disappointed. ‘Hammer Of Justice’ has all three of these traits in abundance with feet stomping, heads banging and fists punching the air, there is no time to catch your breath as the blistering pace of the album shows absolutely no sign of letting up.
‘Beyond The Iron Sky’ is a raging burst of energy that is high octane and flows relentlessly like lava erupting from a volcano. Victorius are proving they have what it takes to be mentioned in the same breath as Iron Savior, Helloween, Gamma Ray, Primal Fear and Grave Digger…all legendary bands from the heart of power metal, Germany. With the heaviest vibe on the album ‘Virus’ is hard hitting and punchy. Be wary though, it may also drop kick you into next week…chainsaw buzzing style guitars and one of the most thunderous rhythms on the album ‘Virus’ is a wall of unforgiving solid concrete. A lot of modern day power metal albums take a breather from pace and speed by inserting a ballad, however, Victorius make it through to the closing song without a single pause for breath, although there is a delightful twist in the tail. ‘A Million Lightyears’ introduces the vocal talents of Viktorie Surmova, a metal/rock and classical session vocalist from the Czech Republic. ‘A Million Lightyears’ takes on the vibe of symphonic and is hard rocking, very heavy on the melodic and a sparkling finish to a great album.
Overall, majestic power metal delivered at pace, with a twin guitar lead, a galloping rhythm and clean and clear vocals. A breath taking album from a rising band.
TRACKLIST
Shadowwarriors
Hero
End Of The Rainbow
Die By My Sword
Sons Of Orion
Heart Of The Phoenix
Empire Of The Dragonking
Hammer Of Justice
Beyond The Iron Sky
Virus
A Millions Lightyears
http://www.victoriusmetal.net/
https://www.facebook.com/victoriusmetal
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