ALL FOR METAL
“Gods Of Metal (Year Of The Dragon)”
Album Review by Iron Mathew

10/10

All For Metal are a heavy metal band from Germany formed in 2022, centred around the duo of Tetzel – singer for German metallers Asenblut, and Antonio Calanna – former vocalist of German heavy metal band DeVicious. Featuring a mighty anthemic feel that does battle with the likes of Manowar, Saxon and Sabaton, the bands stunning debut album ‘Legends’ was released in 2023, with sophomore album ‘Gods Of Metal (Year Of The Dragon)’ emerging just thirteen months later!

The albums subtitle “Year Of The Dragon”, honours the Japanese year 2024 – All For Metal “transporting listeners to the enigmatic and culturally rich land of the rising sun, a place steeped in ancient traditions and legendary tales. With a profound fascination for Japanese myths and legends the band masterfully weaves these narratives into their music, creating a unique and immersive listening experience. The dragon, a revered and iconic figure in Asian culture, becomes a central motif, representing both the band’s musical evolution and the epic scope of their storytelling. Each song delves into different aspects of these myths, from the fierce battles of legendary warriors to the serene beauty of mythical landscapes”.

So now we know the bands inspiration behind the new albums theme – how does ‘Gods Of Metal (Year Of The Dragon)’ actually sound? Well let me tell you – fucking awesome! And that’s just the short version of my review, read on for the long one – All For Metal setting ‘Gods Of Metal (The Year Of The Dragon)’ on its way with the one minute tension driven spoken word intro ‘Cry For Help’ building to one helluva anticipation fuelled crescendo! And then BOOM! ‘Gods Of Metal’ explodes into life with a tonne of thunder and a mighty anthemic foot stomp, the growling vocals of Tetzel and the rock roar of Calanna as bold and as bombastic as ever! The oomph here is overly powerful, pulling everyone into the bands soundscape where All For Metal hold on tight and never let go – ‘Year Of The Dragon’ entering the fray with even more thunder than ‘Gods Of Metal’! Something I thought could never happen, the band even surprised me a little bit, the force emanating outwards from ‘Year Of The Dragon’ demolishing everything within a very wide radius – knocking every listener, fan and follower into next fucking week!

An opening double to shudder the ground and send shockwaves around the world, ‘Gods Of Metal (The Year Of The Dragon)’ changes through the gears to accelerate forward with the highly head bang-able ‘The Way Of The Samurai’. The sound of classic heavy come power metal oozes from ‘The Way Of The Samurai’, the band adopting the iconic “foot on the monitor” pose – All For Metal continuing to cement their place in heavy metal history! Everything the band achieved last year with their stunning debut album, has been bettered by the bands second – and I say that even though we’re only just three songs in, ‘Gods Of Metal (The Year Of The Dragon)’ surely one of the strongest contenders for Album Of The Year! It’d be such a travesty if it wasn’t at least in the top five – ‘Temple Of Silence’ returning the mighty foot stomping style of anthemic heavy metal to the fore! Pounding the ground harder than ever, All For Metal stride tall and very proud right through the heart of metal territory, the band a commanding force that’s got everyone’s attentions in their hands! And returning with a vengeance, pace makes a blistering return, ‘When Monsters Roar’ roaring louder than anything heard so far, the band firmly pressing the pedal to the metal – the sound of traditional heavy metal mixing perfectly with the bands root anthemic leanings!

The first half of ‘Gods Of Metal (The Year Of The Dragon)’ has been a sensational barrage of infectious and highly melodious heavy metal, every song heard so far a sonic delight – I wonder just how much more delightful the album will get before a state of euphoria is reached! And featuring the mellowest beginning to any song on offer, ‘Path Of The Brave’ is a hymn-like swagger of pure elegance and majesty, the band striding taller and more prouder than ever before! Even a little balladry finds its way in there too, ‘Path Of The Brave’ bursting at the seams with reined in energy, All For Metal doing a fantastic job of holding it all in – ‘Like Thor And Loki’ opening with a regal military feel to maintain the albums overall anthemic aura! In fact, the foot stomping style of heavy metal is heavier here than heard anywhere else so far, the chorus break changing up a gear to gallop forth with an incredible sing a long pull – a pull that’s gonna have everyone singing “like Thor and Loki, like heaven and hell, the Asgard brothers, are under a spell, of good and evil, the legends won’t die, like Thor and Loki, like heaven and hell”. Fucking superb! ‘Valkyries In The Sky’ features Burning Witches singer Laura Guldemond – her metal roar adding even more weight to a very weighty song. In fact, ‘Valkyries In The Sky’ is the heaviest, meanest and most foot to the floor song heard up to this point, the glorious gallop of heavy metal in full fucking swing! I tell ya readers, if you thought the bands debut album was great, this one’s even greater!

And it’s not over yet either – ‘Gods Of Metal (Year Of The Dragon)’ marching on with the glorious guitar tone of the iconic NWOBHM courtesy of the power come traditional metaller ‘Welcome’. The foot is firmly planted on the monitor here, the old school feel pouring outta ‘Welcome’ is stunning, every aged metalhead who remembers the eighties like it was only yesterday are gonna go weak at the fucking knees for this one – I know I have! ‘Cause I’m one of those aged metalheads ya see, having grown up as a teenager during the glorious eighties evolution (and revolution) of heavy metal! And by crikey All For Metal have pulled out all the stops on their second album, throwing everything the band have in their vast arsenal at every listener, fan and follower around the world – ‘Who Wants To Live Forever’ bringing a sensational album to a close with a hymn come prayer like atmosphere! Elegance and majesty have shot through the fucking roof, All For Metal once again striding tall and proud across the land as if it’s their own! And to round off ‘Gods Of Metal (Year Of The Dragon)’, the prophetically titled one minute outro ‘The Journey Will Not End’ bookends the album with another tension driven spoken word crescendo!

Overall, a sensational album of hard hitting heavy metal, wonderfully anthemic, incredibly infectious, and head bang-able to the max.

TRACKLIST

Cry For Help
Gods Of Metal
Year Of The Dragon
The Way Of The Samurai
Temple Of Silence
When Monsters Roar
Path Of The Brave
Like Thor And Loki
Valkyries In The Sky
Welcome
Who Wants To Live Forever
The Journey Will Not End

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