METAL DE FACTO
“IMPERIUM ROMANUM”
Album Review by Iron Mathew

10/10

Metal De Facto are a power metal band from Finland formed in 2017 by former Dreamtale guitarist Esa Orjatsalo. Wanting to make a Rome themed power metal album Esa, while working as a guitar tech for Ensiferum, met bass player Sami Hinkka and told him of his idea. Together they found musicians from other bands, and recorded ‘Imperium Romanum’, which was released in late 2019. Metal De Facto may be seen as a side project as all the band members are committed to their own bands, but Esa has a vision to make more themed albums in the future…

…but until then, the current themed album boasts ten songs across fifty minutes – the bands goal is to “make power metal great again”. Now, not wanting to ruffle the bands feathers, or lose friends before I make them… I disagree with that statement, as I believe power metal is great, and actually the bands goal is to “make a great power album” – which they have. ‘Imperium Romanum’ is a belter of an album, and one of the best epic styled power metal albums I have heard in some time. Exploding into life with the all out power metal gallop of ‘The Conqueror’, Metal De Facto signal their intent with all the bells and whistles. ‘The Conqueror’ has pace, urgency and purpose, and is a cracker of an album opener. ‘Legionnaire’s Oath’ on the other hand, is more mid tempo, but has a massive increase in heaviness. The heavy foot stomping march of ‘Legionnaire’s Oath’ is majestic, epic and grandiose. ‘Naturalis Historia’ brings back the pace of the opening song, but with a much bigger melodic edge, and that all so incredibly infectious nature that all power metal is laced heavily with.

The opening three songs have delighted – showing the multi layers of power metal, the differing styles and ambience. Metal De Facto are certainly living up to their (re-worded by me) goal to “make a great power album”. ‘Inferno’ pulsates and pounds, the nearest you’ll get to a power ballad without it actually being a power ballad. As ‘Inferno’ progresses, it takes on a hard rock swagger, and will appeal to a wide array of fans. And, oh my God, ‘Bachannalia’ is superb… Full of pace, it speeds across the land, gathering fans in their thousands – it’s attractiveness tip top, and the chorus, oh my! An anthemic chant style call to arms, everyone is gonna be singing in unison. Simply glorious. And at the half way point in the album, it’s time for a breather. And just as well, for the first half was such an exhilarating ride – ‘Echoes In Eternity’ is mellow, yet emotionally it stands tall. Lighters are gonna be held high, with everyone, and I do mean everyone, will be swaying from side to side. ‘Echoes In Eternity’ is a timely, catch your breath moment before the album resumes with the “let the games begin” chant that announces the three minute instrumental ‘Colosseum’…

…a staggering instrumental of pace and melody, ‘Colosseum’ is quickly followed by the hustle and bustle of ‘Ides Of March’. A much more heavy metal offering than all the power metal that has gone before, ‘Ides Of March’ delivers an emphatic slower chorus that is so hymn like. And then without warning, blistering pace takes over as ‘The Ascending Of Jupiter’ flies out of the blocks at speed. Fiery and fierce, ‘The Ascending Of Jupiter’ is a head bangers dream. The ferocious pace is breath taking, with this a glorious highlight of the album… An album which is not short of highlights, there has been plenty, and there’s still one more to come – the albums finale, the climactic ending… ‘Germanicus’ is a nine and a half minute show stopper. From the power of the speed metal verses to the hymn like and highly operatic choruses, ‘Germanicus’ is an epic in every sense of the word. Galloping, ambling and meandering, ‘Germanicus’ is a theatrical end to a great album – and one that I highly recommend to fans of epic power metal.

Overall, a glorious gallop of all out power metal, so exhilarating and breathless – Metal De Facto have indeed made a great power metal album.

TRACKLIST

The Conqueror
Legionnaire’s Oath
Naturalis Historia
Inferno
Bacchanalia
Echoes In Eternity
Colosseum
Ides Of March
The Ascending Of Jupiter
Germanicus

http://www.metaldefacto.com/
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